Aero Vodochody Aerospace (Aero) has completed the deliveries of all 12 L-39 SKYFOX aircraft ordered by Vietnam. The airframer announced the completion of deliveries earlier this month to the Vietnamese Air Force with the delivery of 6 aircraft. Aero had announced the completion of the Site Acceptance Test for the first batch of 6 delivered aircraft in August 2024.

Vietnam ordered 12 L-39 SKYFOX aircraft in 2021 and is the first export customer for the type, which will serve as a training platform for Vietnamese fighter pilots as well as a tactical platform fulfilling a wide range of missions for the Vietnamese Air Force. The second customer will be Hungary, with 12 examples and deliveries starting this year as well. The Czech Republic has ordered 4 L-39NG SKYFOX advanced jet trainers under a November 2022 contract with Aero Vodochody, with an option for 4 additional aircraft, bringing the potential total to 8.

Prototype versions of the type were known as L-39NG, and following the start of series production in May 2023, Aero named the aircraft as SKYFOX in October 2024.

The L-39 SKYFOX is marketed by Aero as a new-generation subsonic jet trainer and tactical aircraft, which can undertake flight and tactical training, light attack, patrolling and reconnaissance. Powered by a Williams International FJ44-4M turbofan engine delivering 16.86 kN of thrust, this two-seat jet achieves speeds up to 900 km/h (490 KCAS) and operates at altitudes up to 11,500 m. Its redesigned ‘wet wing’ eliminates external fuel tanks while providing 1,150 kg of internal fuel capacity, enabling mission endurance of up to 4 hours 45 minutes with optional external tanks. The design retains the L-39’s ability to operate from rough airstrips, maintaining +8/-4 g-load limits for advanced manoeuvre training.

The aircraft features a full-glass cockpit with open-architecture avionics, multifunction displays, and compatibility with both NATO and Eastern bloc instrumentation systems. Designed for multirole flexibility, it supports light attack missions with five hardpoints capable of carrying 1,350 kg of payload, including laser-guided bombs, air-to-air missiles, and reconnaissance pods. Optimized for cost-effectiveness, the SKYFOX combines 15,000-flight-hour airframe durability with operating costs comparable to turboprop trainers, priced below $10 million per unit.

First delivered to the Czech Air Force in January 2025, it serves as a lead-in trainer for 4th/5th-generation fighters while performing reconnaissance and border patrol roles.

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