OMNIPOL, with support from specialists at the manufacturing company AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE, has delivered the first six L-39NG aircraft to the Vietnamese Air Force.

The first customer for L-39NG aircraft has successfully completed the Site Acceptance Test (SAT). The six L-39NG aircraft have thus successfully passed the final acceptance, during which the aircraft were fully assembled, all their functions were verified, and they were flown by a factory pilot directly in Vietnam. The entire project is proceeding according to the agreed deadlines, and both parties are cooperating intensively.

The aircraft will serve as a training platform for fighter pilot training. "We are proud that six aircraft of this latest version of the legendary Czech training jets are now operational with their first customer. This is a significant milestone for the OMNIPOL Group and AERO Vodochody," says Jiří Podpěra, President of the OMNIPOL Group.

In addition to the fully assembled L-39NG aircraft, the customer also receives a comprehensive set of theoretical and practical training, which includes a simulation training system and manuals for pilots and mechanics.

Approximately 400 supplier companies are involved in the production of the L-39NG, with about 65% of the suppliers being from the Czech Republic.

The platform of the aircraft – combining modern avionics systems, an efficient jet engine, and excellent flight characteristics – is compatible with both Western and Eastern configurations and meets the requirements for comprehensive and cost-effective training of future fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft pilots.

The L-39NG can also be used as a light combat aircraft, as confirmed by Filip Kulštrunk, Executive Vice President of AERO Vodochody for Sales, in an earlier interview: "The L-39NG can also be deployed as a light combat aircraft against ground targets and slow, low-flying airborne targets, such as drones that strike deep within Ukrainian territory, against which very expensive missile systems are currently being used. The L-39NG is equipped with five hardpoints for various weapons and mission equipment, including guided and unguided bombs, machine guns, guided and unguided rockets, and external fuel tanks, with a total payload capacity of up to 1,650 kilograms. A reconnaissance version with the right sensors further extends the aircraft's capabilities for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, making it useful for border area monitoring, for example. The aircraft also has the ability to respond quickly, boasts unparalleled endurance and operational range. It does not require paved airfields, as it can land and take off from unpaved surfaces like grass airfields. It can also be used against larger unmanned aerial vehicles, which are frequently employed in the conflict against Ukraine. However, it should be noted that the aircraft lacks armor and self-protection systems, making it unsuitable for high-intensity combat zones," said Filip Kulštrunk.

L-39NG for Training Czech Air Force Pilots

The Czech Armed Forces have also selected the L-39NG for their pilot training programs. LOM PRAHA, via its subsidiary CLV Pardubice, will use these aircraft for various types of training (both basic and advanced), where pilots will learn the principles of using jet aircraft in combat missions. While these aircraft will primarily serve the pilots of the Czech Air Force, they are also planned to be used for training pilots from other countries within the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) program.

In mid-June of this year, the first flight of the L-39NG aircraft intended for the state enterprise LOM PRAHA took place at the AERO Vodochody facility, with the editorial team of CZ DEFENCE in attendance. This aircraft will also be used for training future Czech F-35 pilots.

Video: The L-39NG for LOM PRAHA completed its first flight. / CZ DEFENCE

During our visit, we asked AERO Vodochody's factory test pilot, retired Captain Vladimír Továrek, about the differences between the L-39NG and the L-39C. "The aircraft may look like the L-39C, but it has been completely reconstructed down to the last screw. New materials were used, making it lighter, it has a new engine, and it's much better overall. It also consumes significantly less fuel, features modern avionics, and offers the instructor a much better view compared to the old L-39," Továrek explained to our editorial team. He also praised the comfortable seats, noting that sitting in them for up to four hours is no problem in terms of fatigue. Regarding the aircraft's handling, Továrek said: "It's a very pilot-friendly aircraft, essentially straightforward, suitable for students from screening all the way to advanced training." We also asked if there were any comments during the testing of the new L-39NG. "Well, of course, we had plenty of feedback. This aircraft is far more advanced than the first prototype the factory produced," Továrek shared.

The production of four L-39NG aircraft intended for the Air Training Center of the state enterprise LOM PRAHA began in May of last year. The contract for the delivery of four aircraft, with an option for an additional four machines, was signed between the manufacturer AERO Vodochody and LOM PRAHA in November 2022. For AERO Vodochody, the contract represented a very important reference, while for LOM PRAHA, the purchase of new training aircraft allows for the continuation of tactical pilot training for the Czech Air Force on the same, but more modern, platform of the L-39 aircraft. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered to the Air Training Center in Pardubice at the turn of 2024 and 2025, with full-scale training on these aircraft expected to commence during 2025.