List of Aero L-39 Albatros operators



This is a list of countries and their air force units that have operated the Aero L-39 Albatros.

Abkhazia

 * Abkhazian Air Force
 * 4 L-39s as of December 2009

Algeria

 * Algerian Air Force
 * 55 L-39s as of December 2020

Armenia

 * Armenian Air Force
 * 6 aircraft as of December 2020.

Angola

 * National Air Force of Angola
 * 4 aircraft as of December 2020.

Azerbaijan

 * Azerbaijan Air Force
 * 12 aircraft as of December 2020.

Bangladesh

 * Bangladesh Air Force
 * Operating 7 L-39ZA out of 8 L-39ZA acquired in late 1990s. One was lost in a crash in 2012 killing a pilot.

Belarus

 * Belarus Air Force
 * 12 aircraft as of December 2020.

Bulgaria

 * Bulgarian Air Force
 * 1/12 Training Squadron operating 6 L-39ZA aircraft.

Central African Republic

 * Central African Republic Air Force


 * 6 L-39s donated by Russia.

Cuba
operating 26 L-39C aircraft in three squadrons:
 * Cuban Air Force
 * UM 3710 Escuadrón de Intercepcion
 * UM 1660 Escuela de Ensenanza de Vuelo Avanzada
 * UM 4768 Escuadrón de Intercepcion

Egypt

 * Egyptian Air Force
 * 1 aircraft as of December 2020.

Equatorial Guinea

 * Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea
 * 2 aircraft as of December 2020.

Estonia

 * Estonian Air Force
 * 1 aircraft as of December 2020.

Ethiopia

 * Ethiopian Air Force
 * 10 aircraft as of December 2020.

Georgia

 * Georgian Air Force
 * 8 aircraft as of December 2020.

Kazakhstan

 * Kazakhstan Air Force
 * 17 aircraft as of December 2020.

Libya

 * Libyan Air Force
 * 181x L-39ZO acquired during Gaddafi's era.
 * Ten former Libyan L-39ZO delivered to Egypt.
 * 10 aircraft as of December 2020.

Mali

 * Malian Air Force
 * At least four L-39Cs delivered by Russia in August 2022.

Mozambique

 * Mozambique Air Force
 * One L-39ZO acquired from Romania in 2013.

Nigeria

 * Nigerian Air Force
 * 8 aircraft as of December 2020.

Nicaragua

 * Nicaraguan Air Forces:

Russia

 * Russian Air Force
 * 181 aircraft as of December 2020.

Senegal

 * Senegalese Air Force
 * 4 L-39NG on order as of December 2020.

Slovakia

 * Slovak Air Force
 * 4x L-39C
 * 4x L-39ZA
 * 7 aircraft as of December 2020.

Syria

 * Syrian Air Force
 * 55 L-39ZO and 44 L-39ZA bought from Czechoslovakia in the 1970s and 1980s.
 * 61 aircraft as of December 2020.

Tajikistan

 * Tajik Air Force
 * 4 aircraft as of December 2020.

Tunisia

 * Tunisia Air Force
 * 9 aircraft as of December 2020.

Uganda

 * Ugandan Air Force
 * 8 L-39ZA as of December 2020.

Ukraine

 * Ukrainian Air Force
 * 47 aircraft as of December 2020.

Uzbekistan

 * Uzbekistan Air Force
 * 2 aircraft as of December 2020.

Vietnam

 * Vietnamese Air Force
 * 25 aircraft as of December 2020.

Yemen

 * Yemen Air Force
 * 28 aircraft as of December 2020.

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.
 * Afghan Air Force:

Cambodia

 * Royal Cambodian Air Force
 * Formerly operated 6 L-39C trainer aircraft
 * Recently ordered 4 L-39NG trainer aircraft

Chad

 * Military of Chad
 * Operated 11 L-39ZO aircraft.

Republic of the Congo

 * Congolese Air Force

Czech Republic

 * Czech Air Force:
 * L-39C
 * L-39ZA
 * L-39V
 * L-39MS

Czechoslovakia

 * 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.

All Czechoslovakian Air Force aircraft passed to successor states – Czech Republic and Slovakia.

East Germany

 * East German Air Force:
 * 52x L-39ZO
 * 2x L-39V
 * Two former Czechoslovak L-39Vs delivered to the East German Air Force.
 * Twenty former East German L-39ZO delivered to Hungary.

Ghana

 * Ghana Air Force
 * 2 L-39ZO

Hungary

 * Hungarian Air Force:
 * 20x L-39ZO
 * Twenty former East German L-39ZO delivered to Hungary

Iraq

 * Iraqi Air Force:
 * 22x L-39C
 * 59x L-39ZO

Kyrgyzstan

 * Kyrgyzstan Air Force:
 * 4x (24 in store) L-39C

Lithuania

 * Lithuanian Air Force:
 * 1x L-39ZA

Romania

 * Romanian Air Force:
 * 32x L-39ZA

South Sudan

 * South Sudan Air Force
 * Unknown number of L-39 jets with logistical and maintenance support from Uganda

Soviet Union

 * DOSAAF
 * Soviet Air Force:
 * 2080x L-39C

All Soviet Air Force aircraft passed to successor states: Azerbaijan,the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Thailand

 * Royal Thai Air Force
 * 37 L-30ZA/ART in commissioned from 1994 to 2021.

Turkmenistan

 * Turkmenistan Air Force
 * 2 aircraft.

Australia
A small number of L-39s are flown in Australia as jet flight experiences for paying public.

Canada

 * International Test Pilots School

Northern Lights Aerobatics Team from Montreal used 2 L-39C in 2000, but ceased operating them and performing airshows after 2000. 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.
 * Breitling Jet Team:

This company based in La Roche-sur-Yon operates 2 L-39 Albatros jets for touristic flights.
 * TopGun Voltige:

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.
 * DOSAAF:

United States
Hundreds of L-39s are finding new homes with private owners all over the world, especially in the United States.