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:

Blue: Current military
Cyan: Current civilian
Red: Former
Military operators
Bangladesh
- Operating 7 L-39ZA out of 8 L-39ZA acquired in late 1990s.[1] One was lost in a crash in 2012 killing a pilot.
Bulgaria

- 1/12 Training Squadron operating 6 L-39ZA aircraft.[1]
Cuba
operating 26 L-39C aircraft in three squadrons:[1]
- UM 3710 Escuadrón de Intercepcion
- UM 1660 Escuela de Ensenanza de Vuelo Avanzada
- UM 4768 Escuadrón de Intercepcion
Libya
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Slovakia
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- 4x L-39C
- 4x L-39ZA
- 7 aircraft as of December 2020.[1]
Syria
Afghanistan

The Afghan Air Force operated as many as 26 L-39Cs from 1977 through 2001, but only three of them survived in 2001. In December 2021, a report by Al Jazeera showed an Afghan L-39 undergoing an engine test at Kabul International Airport.[5]
Cambodia
- Formerly operated 6 L-39C trainer aircraft
- Recently ordered 4 L-39NG trainer aircraft[6]
Republic of the Congo
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.[2]
All Czechoslovakian Air Force aircraft passed to successor states – Czech Republic and Slovakia.
East Germany
Hungary

- 20x L-39ZO
- Twenty former East German L-39ZO delivered to Hungary [2]
Nicaragua
South Sudan
Soviet Union
- 2080x L-39C
All Soviet Air Force aircraft passed to successor states: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Civil operators
Australia
A small number of L-39s are flown in Australia as jet flight experiences for paying public.
Austria
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.[9] The aircraft were registered and based in the US with Northern Lights USA of Lafayette, LA with 1 lost in crash in 2001.
France
A civilian aerobatic display team based in Dijon, France; operating seven L-39 Albatros jets in the colours of their sponsor, Breitling.
New Zealand
Fighter Jets NZ operate 2 L-39 from Tauranga, NZ for jet flight experiences and also do airshow displays around the country.
Soviet Union
DOSAAF paramilitary organization, tasked with the training and preparation of reserves for the Soviet armed forces, operated unknown number of L-39.
United States
Hundreds of L-39s are finding new homes with private owners all over the world, especially in the United States.
See also
References
Notes
- "World Air Forces 2021". flightglobal.com. Archived from the original on 10 Jan 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- 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.
- Cooper 2022, p. VI
- Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost. "Taliban Air Force Commences Jet Operations". Oryx Blog. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- "Czech arms to be purchased - Khmer Times".
- Binnie, Jeremy (12 September 2016). "South Sudan now flying L-39 jets". IHS Jane's 360. London. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- "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.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Bibliography
- Cooper, Tom (2022). Syrian Conflagration: The Syrian Civil War, 2011-2013 (Revised ed.). Warwick, UK: Helion & Company Publishing. ISBN 978-1-915070-81-4.
- 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