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Czech aerospace manufacturer Aero Vodochody has rebranded its L-39NG jet trainer.
Rather than reference the original name of the aircraft that the L-39NG is based on, the L-39 Albatros–the second most widely sold jet trainer in history–the aircraft maker has opted to name the aircraft L-39 Skyfox.
“Like the fox, which is agile, smart, and can avoid danger, our aircraft is characterized by excellent safety features,” said Viktor Sotona, chairman and CEO of Aero Vodochody. He spoke Oct. 16 at the Future Forces Forum defense event in Prague. The renaming emerges as the company begins to deliver aircraft to Lom Praha, the Czech government-owned company that performs pilot training for the Czech military, which will take delivery of two of four aircraft on order before year’s end.
The remaining two will be delivered by mid-2025, and the organization has another four aircraft purchase options. Aero Vodochody is already supporting pilot training for those aircraft ahead of delivery.
Vietnam emerged as the aircraft’s launch customer, with the OEM declaring that six of the 12-strong order have now gone through final acceptance with the Asian country’s air force.
The Skyfox updates the popular, Cold War-era L-39 Albatros trainer by replacing the original Ukrainian-made engine with a U.S.-made Williams FJ44 turbofan. The L-39NG also introduces new avionics while the new design removes the Albatros’ distinctive wingtip fuel tanks and replaces them with a wet wing, improving maneuverability and performance. The aircraft is offered in two configurations for training to Western and Eastern requirements.
Earlier this year, the company received approvals to develop, manufacture, maintain, and repair Hungarian L-39 aircraft, including the L-39 Skyfox, eight of which it will deliver to the Hungarian Air Force.
Hopes of early sales to Senegal and Ghana in Africa were canceled due to budgetary issues. Aero Vodochody is currently planning to produce around 12 Skyfox aircraft a year.
“The L-39 Skyfox takes from the Albatross the aerodynamic concept and the associated great flight characteristics, but otherwise it is a technologically completely new modern aircraft,” said Jan Chvojka, head of public relations and marketing at Aero. “The naming will also help us emphasize that this is not just an improved Albatros, but a completely new aircraft.”
The last aircraft, named Skyfox, was a derivative of Lockheed’s T-33 trainer developed by California-based Skyfox Corp. in the early 1980s. The design used the T-33 airframe with two engines on the rear fuselage behind the cockpit.
Skyfox Corp. was later purchased by Boeing, but development was later canceled due to a lack of customer interest.
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