List of Aero L-39 Albatros operators
The List of Aero L-39 Albatros operators lists the countries and their air force units that have operated the aircraft:
![](../I/m/Operators_of_the_L-39.svg.png)
Blue: Current military
Cyan: Current civilian
Red: Former
Military operators
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Afghanistan.svg.png)
Afghanistan
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Afghanistan.svg.png)
![](../I/m/Afghan_L-39_Albatross_jets.jpg)
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.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Algeria.svg.png)
Algeria
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Algeria.svg.png)
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
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Bangladesh.svg.png)
Bangladesh
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Bangladesh.svg.png)
- Operating 7 L-39ZA out of 8 L-39ZA acquired in late 1990s.
One was lost in a crash in 2012 killing a pilot.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg.png)
Bulgaria
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg.png)
![](../I/m/Bulgarian_Air_Force_Aero_L-39ZA_Albatros_Lofting-1.jpg)
- 1/12 Training Squadron operating 12 L-39ZA aircraft
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Chechen_Republic_of_Ichkeria.svg.png)
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Chechen_Republic_of_Ichkeria.svg.png)
- 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.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_the_Congo.svg.png)
Republic of the Congo
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_the_Congo.svg.png)
- Congolese Air Force
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Cuba.svg.png)
Cuba
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Cuba.svg.png)
- Cuban Air Force
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
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_Czech_Republic.svg.png)
Czechoslovakia
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_Czech_Republic.svg.png)
- Czechoslovakian Air Force
- 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.[2]
All Czechoslovakian Air Force aircraft passed to successor states – Czech Republic and Slovakia.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Georgia.svg.png)
Georgia
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Georgia.svg.png)
- 4 L-39C in service as of 2016, some armed with Rocket and Bomb pads and used as Light Attack Aircraft.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Hungary.svg.png)
Hungary
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Hungary.svg.png)
- 20x L-39ZO
- Twenty former East German L-39ZO delivered to Hungary [2]
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Libya.svg.png)
Libya
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Libya.svg.png)
![](../I/m/L-39_(12549639344).jpg)
- Libyan Air Force
- 181x L-39ZO acquired during Gadaffi's era.
- Ten former Libyan L-39ZO delivered to Egypt.[2]
- At least 3 operational with the new Libyan Air Force in 2013
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Nicaragua.svg.png)
Nicaragua
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Nicaragua.svg.png)
- Nicaraguan Air Forces
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png)
Soviet Union
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png)
- DOSAAF
- Soviet Air Force
- 2080x L-39C
All Soviet Air Force aircraft passed to successor states: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Thailand.svg.png)
Thailand
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Thailand.svg.png)
- Thai Air Force
- 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
Civil operators
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Australia_(converted).svg.png)
Australia
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Australia_(converted).svg.png)
A small number of L-39s are flown in Australia as jet flight experiences for paying public.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_France.svg.png)
France
![](../I/m/Flag_of_France.svg.png)
A civilian aerobatic display team based in Dijon, France; operating seven L-39 Albatros jets in the colours of their sponsor, Breitling.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png)
Soviet Union
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png)
DOSAAF paramilitary organization, tasked with the training and preparation of reserves for the Soviet armed forces, operated unknown number of L-39.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Canada_(Pantone).svg.png)
Canada
![](../I/m/Flag_of_Canada_(Pantone).svg.png)
- 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.[7] The aircraft were registered and based in the US with Northern Lights USA of Lafayette, LA with 1 lost in crash in 2001.
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png)
United States
![](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png)
Hundreds of L-39s are finding new homes with private owners all over the world, especially in the United States.
See also
References
- https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50651347/czech-arms-to-be-purchased/
- Aero L-39 Albatros page in Scramble magazine Archived 2006-10-12 at the Wayback Machine
- Isby, David C.; Willis, David (December 2013). "Mozambique Rebuilding its Air Force". Air International. Vol. 85 no. 6. p. 26. ISSN 0306-5634.
- Binnie, Jeremy (12 September 2016). "South Sudan now flying L-39 jets". IHS Jane's 360. London. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- [The Military Balance 2016,p.206]
- "L-39 users from all over the world met in AERO Vodochody". September 15, 2016.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2011-01-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- 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
Where are Baltic Bees (six L-39C)?