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Aero L-59 Super Albatros


Advanced Trainer / Light Strike Aircraft


Czechoslovakia | 1986



"No longer available from Czech aviation company Aero, the L-59 Super Albatros was eventually upgraded to become the L-159 ALCA series."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Aero L-59E Super Albatros Advanced Trainer / Light Strike Aircraft.
1 x Lotarev DV-2 turbofan engine developing 4,850 lbs of thrust.
Propulsion
537 mph
865 kph | 467 kts
Max Speed
38,714 ft
11,800 m | 7 miles
Service Ceiling
1,243 miles
2,000 km | 1,080 nm
Operational Range
5,510 ft/min
1,679 m/min
Rate-of-Climb
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Aero L-59E Super Albatros Advanced Trainer / Light Strike Aircraft.
2
(MANNED)
Crew
40.0 ft
12.20 m
O/A Length
31.3 ft
(9.54 m)
O/A Width
15.6 ft
(4.77 m)
O/A Height
8,818 lb
(4,000 kg)
Empty Weight
15,432 lb
(7,000 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Aero L-59 Super Albatros Advanced Trainer / Light Strike Aircraft .
STANDARD:
1 x 23mm GSh-23L cannon in centerline gunpod.

OPTIONAL (across four underwing hardpoints):
Various air-to-surface munitions including missiles, guided bombs and conventional drop bombs as well as rocket pods. Up to 2,200lbs of carried ordnance.
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Aero L-59 Super Albatros family line.
L-59 "Super Albatros" - Base Series Designation; base production model designation for Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic/Slovakia.
L-59E - Egyptian Air Force export model; 49 examples delivered.
L-59T - Tunisian Air Force export model; 12 examples delivered.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/16/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Aero Vodochody was established in post-war Europe during early 1919 and made a name for itself as a developer of capable Czech-originated aircraft. Its line included the A.11 series biplane of 1921 all the way to the popular jet-powered L-39 "Albatros" two-seat trainer of 1972. From the latter spawned a series of similar aircraft that included the improved L-59 "Super Albatros" of 1986 and the more modern L-159 ALCA. The L-59 was eventually adopted by Czechoslovakia, Egypt, and Tunisia.

The L-59 was developed along the same jet-powered, twin-seat trainer lines as the L-39 before it. The aircraft incorporated a tandem two-seat configuration (student in front, instructor in rear) with a single Progress DV-2 turbofan engine developing 4,850lbs of thrust. Compared to the L-39, the L-59 received a lengthened, reinforced fuselage structure, modernized avionics and a more powerful engine fitting. HUD (Head-Up Display) was added in the cockpit for improved situational awareness and mission support. Dimensions included a length of 12.2 meters, a wingspan of 9.5 meters, and a height of 4.7 meters. Empty weight was 8,865lbs with a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 15,435lbs. Performance specifications included a maximum speed of 535 miles per hour with a range out to 1,245 miles and service ceiling of 38,785 feet. Rate-of-climb neared 5,510 feet per minute.

First flight of a prototype form occurred on September 30th, 1986. Production then spanned from 1986 to 1996 to which the L-59 was adopted by the Czechoslovak Air Force as the L-39MS in a batch of six aircraft. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, four of the aircraft fell into service with the new Czech Air Force and the remaining aircraft went to the Slovak Air Force. Two slightly different export marks were then delivered as the L-59E to Egypt (49 examples) and the L-59T to Tunisia (12 examples). These were all that were produced from Aero Vodochody signifying the end of manufacture for the L-59 series (67 were built in all). Its replacement became the L-159 ALCA (Advanced Light Combat Aircraft) which saw production reach 72 and deliveries to the Czech Republic and Iraq.

Though a trainer by design, the L-59 retained certain combat capabilities about her. It was not a 4th Generation frontline multi-role fighter as found in the West or Russia but its airframe proved suitable for the light strike role, allowing it to become something of a tempting purchase to more budget-conscious nations requiring the dual-role service of a single airframe that trained pilots and also offered inherent Close-Air Support (CAS) or low-level strike functionality. As such, when armed for combat (or even weapons training), armed versions carried a single Soviet-inspired GSh-23L cannon in a pod mounted under the fuselage for short-range work. Four underwing hardpoints also supported up to 2,200lb of externally-held ordnance which allowed the L-59 to be outfitted with standard conventional drop bombs, rocket pods, or gun pods as required.

Tunisian L-59 aircraft are set to receive an overhaul.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Aero L-59 Super Albatros. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 67 Units

Contractor(s): Aero Vodochody - Czechoslovakia
National flag of Czechia National flag of Egypt National flag of Slovakia National flag of Tunisia

[ Czechoslovakia; Czech Republic; Egypt; Tunisia; Slovakia ]
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