On Wednesday, November 19, Karel Havlíček, the Czech Minister of Industry and Trade, made a significant announcement regarding the Czech aerospace manufacturer Aero Vodochody. He revealed that the company is poised to deliver up to 16 L-39 Skyfox aircraft to the Ukrainian Air Force.
This news followed a meeting with Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Serhii Koretskyi, highlighting the strengthening ties between the two nations in defense matters.
Order for four aircraft is already confirmed
Havlíček confirmed that an order for four aircraft has already been finalized, while the potential order for an additional twelve aircraft awaits final confirmation. Just a day later, Aero Vodochody officially acknowledged Ukraine’s interest in their fighter jet, indicating that the country is considering both the training variant and the innovative Drone Hunter variant.
The Aero L-39 Skyfox (also known as the L-39NG) is a modern two-seat advanced jet trainer with modern digital avionics, advanced controls, and a strengthened airframe. In its base configuration, the aircraft is commonly used as an advanced trainer for military pilots transitioning to fighters or attack jets.
News reports put the price of an L-39 at between $10 million and 20 million, depending on equipment.
Current producing capacity is only 12 aircraft a year
For safety reasons, Aero’s spokesperson, Lukáš Hora, refrained from discussing specific delivery dates or the manufacturing schedule. Aero Vodochody is currently producing around 12 L-39 Skyfox combat trainer jets each year. The company’s management has indicated that production capacity could be increased to 18 aircraft annually.
As of September this year, production is fully booked with orders extending through the second quarter of 2027.
In recent developments, Aero has secured orders for multiple units from Armenia and has also announced orders from Angola and a private customer in the USA earlier this year. Additionally, discussions are ongoing with Serbia regarding the potential acquisition of several units.
New Drone Hunter version could be the one
Ukraine is likely to be offered the Drone Hunter, a counter-drone version of L-39. This aircraft is designed to neutralize enemy drones at significantly lower operational costs compared to traditional fighter jets. Aero has already showcased a configuration equipped with an electro-optical targeting system and pods for 70-millimeter guided rockets.
The company is actively working on integrating and testing these systems, collaborating with the Belgian firm Thales. Although the Drone Hunter has yet to see combat, further testing is necessary to validate its capabilities.
Czech manufacturer owned by Hungarian investors
Since 2021, Aero Vodochody has been primarily owned by Hungarian investors and the Czech arms group Omnipol. Following recent changes, the largest shareholder is businessman Oszkár Világi, who holds an indirect stake of approximately 48 percent. Omnipol, owned by Richard Háva’s family, retains 24 percent, while the Hungarian state-owned arms holding N7 holds another 15 percent. The remaining 13 percent is owned by Hungarian businessman Zsolt Hernádi.
