The List of Aero L-39 Albatros operators lists the countries and their air force units that have operated the aircraft:
Military operators[]
Abkhazia[]
- 4 L-39s as of December 2009
Afghanistan[]
The Afghan Air Force operated as many as 26 L-39Cs from 1977 through 2001, with some reports indicating as many as two may remain serviceable.
Algeria[]
Operates 7 L-39C and 32 L-39ZA aircraft in two squadrons:
- 632e Escadron d'Instruction et d'Appuis "Tigre"
- 18e Escadron d'Entrainement Avancé
Armenia[]
- 6 aircraft.
Azerbaijan[]
- L-39C
223 aircraft
Bangladesh[]
- Operating 8 L-39ZA aircraft
Belarus[]
Bulgaria[]
- 1/12 Training Squadron operating 12 L-39ZA aircraft
Cambodia[]
- Fighter Squadron operating 8 L-39ZA aircraft
Chad[]
- Operating 11 L-39ZO aircraft.
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria[]
- Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Air Force
Chechens operated few L-39Cs taken over from Soviet Air Force inventory. All Chechen aircraft were destroyed during First Chechen War after Russian air strike on airfield in Grozny, though 4 were reported to have been donated to Abkhazia by Dzhokhar Dudayev.[citation needed]
Republic of the Congo[]
Cuba[]
operating 30 L-39C aircraft in three squadrons:
- UM 3710 Escuadrón de Intercepcion
- UM 1660 Escuela de Ensenanza de Vuelo Avanzada
- UM 4768 Escuadrón de Intercepcion
Czech Republic[]
- L-39C
- L-39ZA
- L-39V
- L-39MS
Czechoslovakia[]
- 33x L-39C
- 6x L-39MS
- 8x L-39V
- 30x L-39ZA
Two Czechoslovakian AF L-39Vs were delivered to the East German Air Force.[1]
All Czechoslovakian Air Force aircraft passed to successor states - Czech Republic and Slovakia.
East Germany[]
- 52x L-39ZO
- 2x L-39V
- Two former Czechoslovak L-39Vs delivered to the East German Air Force.[1]
- Twenty former East German L-39ZO delivered to Hungary.[1]
Egypt[]
- 40x L-39ZO
- Ten former Libyan L-39ZO delivered to Egypt.[1]
Equatorial Guinea[]
- 2 aircraft.
Estonia[]
- 2 aircraft.
Ethiopia[]
- 17x L-39C
Ghana[]
- 2 L-39ZO
Hungary[]
- 20x L-39ZO
- Twenty former East German L-39ZO delivered to Hungary [1]
Iraq[]
- 22x L-39C
- 59x L-39ZO
Kazakhstan[]
- L-39C
Kyrgyzstan[]
- L-39C
Libya[]
- 181x L-39ZO aqcquired during Gadaffi's era.
- Ten former Libyan L-39ZO delivered to Egypt.[1]
- At least 3 operational with the new Libyan Air Force in 2013
Lithuania[]
- 4x L-39C
- 2x L-39ZA
Nicaragua[]
Nigeria[]
- 24x L-39ZA
North Korea[]
- 12 L-39C
Romania[]
- 32x L-39ZA
Russia[]
- ~1010 L-39C
Slovakia[]
- L-39C
- L-39ZA
Soviet Union[]
- 2080x L-39C
All Soviet Air Force aircraft passed to successor states: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Syria[]
- 4x L-39ZA
Thailand[]
- 40x L-39ZA/ART
Following Squadrons use the L-39ZA/ART
- 401 Sqn 4th Wing RTAFB Thakli
- 411 Sqn 41st Wing RTAFB Chiang Mai
Following Squadrons are former users of the L-39ZA/ART
- 101 Sqn 1st Wing RTAFB Khorat
- 102 Sqn 1st Wing RTAFB Khorat
Tunisia[]
- 12 aircraft.
Turkmenistan[]
- 2 aircraft.
Uganda[]
- 3 L-39ZA
Ukraine[]
- 0 L-39C
ДПМПΤАЛ
Uzbekistan[]
- L-39C
Vietnam[]
- 24x L-39C
Yemen[]
- 12x L-39C
Civil Operators[]
France[]
A civilian aerobatic display team based in Dijon, France; operating seven L-39 Albatros jets in the colours of their sponsor, Breitling.
Soviet Union[]
DOSAAF paramilitary organization, tasked with the training and preparation of reserves for the Soviet armed forces, operated unknown number of L-39.
Canada[]
- Northern Lights Aerobatics Team
Northern Lights Aerobatics Team from Montreal used 2 L-39C in 2000, but ceased operating them and performing airshows after 2000.[2] The aircraft were registered and based in the US with Northern Lights USA of Lafayette, LA with 1 lost in crash in 2001.
United States[]
Hundreds of L-39s are finding new homes with private owners all over the world, especially in the United States.
References[]
- Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, Vol. 182, No. 5370, 11–17 December 2012. pp. 40–64. ISSN 0015-3710.
- Aero L-39 Albatros page in Scramble magazine
Related content[]
The original article can be found at List of Aero L-39 Albatros operators and the edit history here.