Uzbekistan receives final refurbished L-39C Albatros

Aero Vodochody has re-delivered the sixth and final refurbished L-39C Albatros jet trainer to the Uzbek Air Force, marking the completion of an overhaul contract that was signed in September 2018.

The Czech aircraft manufacturer handed over the final aircraft – serial 3840 ’14 Blue’ – to the Uzbek Air Force on February 7. Uzbekistan contracted Aero Vodochody to conduct a general overhaul of its L-39C fleet in September 2018 – a process that was assisted by long-term partner, Omnipol. The company states that all six aircraft arrived “under strict secrecy” at its facility in Vodochody, Czech Republic, in 2019.

Uzbek L-39 [Aero Vodochody]
Aero L-39C Albatros - serial 3840 '14 Blue' - was re-delivered to the Uzbek Air Force on February 7, 2021, after being overhauled by Aero Vodochody in the Czech Republic. Aero Vodochody

Jan Štechr, vice president of military programmes at Aero Vodochody, said: “Aero is systematically strengthening and developing relationships with current L-39 users. Uzbekistan is the first of a number of customers who have decided to overhaul and modernise their fleet of L-39s at Aero Vodochody, which as the original manufacturer is the only one in the world authorised for this type of overhaul.”

As part of this overhaul process, a number of the onboard systems were modernised on each aircraft. The company states that the platform’s original Russian-made communications equipment have been replaced by Czech-made products and a Garmin-produced radio navigation system has been integrated into the aircraft. “The radio compass was also replaced by more modern technology, and the icing indicator was replaced by a new one made by Rosemount Aerospace,” the company added.

Uzbekistan received its L-39C fleet following the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. As of February 12, 2021, the Uzbek Air Force employs and maintains a fleet of just six aircraft. Follow the link below to read more about the overhaul process of Uzbekistan’s Albatros fleet.