| L 159 ALCA | |
|---|---|
| Czech Air Force L-159 ALCA | |
| Role | Military Advanced Light Combat Aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Aero Vodochody |
| First flight | 4 August 1997[1] |
| Status | Operational |
| Primary user | Czech Air Force |
| Unit cost | US$13 million (2003), US$15–17 million |
| Developed from | Aero L-59 Super Albatros |
Aero L 159 ALCA (Advanced Light Combat Aircraft) is a Czech-built multi-role combat aircraft. It is in service with the Czech Air Force.
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Development of the L 159 began in 1992. The Czech Air Force ordered 72 of the aircraft in April 1995.[1]
The maiden flight of the L 159 occurred on 4 August 1997 with a two-seat version. Then on 18 August 1998 the single-seat version first flew; it was completed to Czech customer specifications. April 2000 marked the first delivery of L 159 to the Czech Air Force.[1]
Czech Air Force is the sole operator.
The Albanian Air Force, Austrian Air Force, Bangladesh Air Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, Indonesian Air Force, Bolivian Air Force, Iraqi Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Hungarian Air Force and Spanish Air Force have expressed interest in the aircraft.[2][3]
The L 159A is a single-seat light multi-role combat aircraft designed for a variety of air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft is equipped with a multi-mode Doppler Grifo-L radar (a variant of the Grifo-F x-band multi-mode, pulse-doppler radar),[4] for all-weather, day and night operations. It can carry a wide range of NATO standard stores including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and laser guided bombs. The L 159A is in operational service with the Czech Air Force and in production.
The L 159B is a two-seat derivative of the L159A primarily designed for Advanced and Operational/Lead-In Fighter Training. The L 159B configuration can also be tailored to customer specific requirements and adapted to needs of basic training as well as combat missions including air-to-Ground, patrol and reconnaissance missions.
Note: only one prototype made by Aero Vodochody.
The L 159T1 is a two-seat trainer derivative used by the Czech air Force. All L 159T1 are modified L 159A airframes taken from storage. First flight 8 March 2007.
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004[5]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Avionics
Grifo-L Radar
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