This is a list of countries and their air force units that have operated the Aero L-39 Albatros.

Military operators

Current

Abkhazia Abkhazian Air Force 4 L-39s as of December 2009

Afghanistan

Afghan Air Force 1 unit Active in 2024. The Afghan Air Force operated as many as 26 L-39Cs from 1977 through 2001, but only three of them survived in 2001. In December 2021, a report by Al Jazeera showed an Afghan L-39 undergoing an engine test at Kabul International Airport.

Algeria Algerian Air Force 55 L-39s as of December 2020

Armenia Armenian Air Force 10 aircraft as of December 2020.

Angola National Air Force of Angola 4 aircraft as of December 2020.

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Air Force 12 aircraft as of December 2020.

Belarus Belarus Air Force 12 aircraft as of December 2020.

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Air Force 1/12 Training Squadron operating 6 L-39ZA aircraft.

Central African Republic Central African Republic Air Force 6 L-39s donated by Russia.

Cuba Cuban Air Force operating 26 L-39C aircraft in three squadrons: UM 3710 Escuadrón de Intercepcion UM 1660 Escuela de Ensenanza de Vuelo Avanzada UM 4768 Escuadrón de Intercepcion

Egypt Egyptian Air Force 1 aircraft as of December 2020.

Equatorial Guinea Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea 2 aircraft as of December 2020.

Estonia

Estonian Air Force 2 aircraft as of 2021.

Ethiopia Ethiopian Air Force 10 aircraft as of December 2020.

Georgia Georgian Air Force 8 aircraft as of December 2020.

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Air Force 17 aircraft as of December 2020.

Libya

Libyan Air Force 181x L-39ZO acquired during Gaddafi's era. Ten former Libyan L-39ZO delivered to Egypt. 10 aircraft as of December 2020.

Mali Malian Air Force At least four L-39Cs delivered by Russia in August 2022.

Mozambique Mozambique Air Force One L-39ZO acquired from Romania in 2013.

Nigeria

Nigerian Air Force 8 aircraft as of December 2020.

Nicaragua Nicaraguan Air Forces

Russia Russian Air Force 181 aircraft as of December 2020.

Senegal Senegalese Air Force 4 L-39NG on order as of December 2020.

Slovakia

Slovak Air Force 4x L-39C 4x L-39ZA 7 aircraft as of December 2020.

Tajikistan Tajik Air Force 4 aircraft as of December 2020.

Tunisia Tunisia Air Force 9 aircraft as of December 2020.

Uganda Ugandan Air Force 8 L-39ZA as of December 2020.

Ukraine

Ukrainian Air Force 47 aircraft as of December 2020.

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan Air Force 2 aircraft as of December 2020.

Vietnam Vietnamese Air Force 25 aircraft as of December 2020.

Yemen Yemen Air Force 28 aircraft as of December 2020.

Former

Bangladesh Bangladesh Air Force 8 L-39ZA acquired in late 1990s. One was lost in a crash in 2012 killing a pilot. Replaced by K-8W Karakorum.

Cambodia Royal Cambodian Air Force Formerly operated 6 L-39C trainer aircraft Recently ordered 4 L-39NG trainer aircraft

Chad Military of Chad Operated 11 L-39ZO aircraft.

Republic of the Congo Congolese Air Force

Czech Republic

Czech Air Force L-39C L-39ZA L-39V L-39MS

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovak Air Force 33x L-39C 6x L-39MS 8x L-39V 30x L-39ZA

Two Czechoslovak AF L-39Vs were delivered to the East German Air Force.Aero L-39 Albatros page in Scramble magazine

All Czechoslovak Air Force aircraft passed to successor states – Czech Republic and Slovakia.

East Germany East German Air Force 52x L-39ZO 2x L-39V Two former Czechoslovak L-39Vs delivered to the East German Air Force. Twenty former East German L-39ZO delivered to Hungary.

Ghana Ghana Air Force 2 L-39ZO

Hungary

Hungarian Air Force 20x L-39ZO Twenty former East German L-39ZO delivered to Hungary

Ichkeria Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria

Iraq Iraqi Air Force 22x L-39C 59x L-39ZO

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan Air Force 4x (24 in store) L-39C

Lithuania

Lithuanian Air Force 1x L-39ZA

Romania Romanian Air Force 32x L-39ZA

South Sudan South Sudan Air Force Unknown number of L-39 jets with logistical and maintenance support from Uganda

Soviet Union DOSAAF Soviet Air Force 2080x L-39C

All Soviet Air Force aircraft passed to successor states: Azerbaijan, the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Syria Syrian Air Force 55 L-39ZO and 44 L-39ZA bought from Czechoslovakia in the 1970s and 1980s. 61 aircraft as of December 2020. The Syrian government of Al-Assad fell to rebels in late 2024, and the Syrian Arab Air Force was dismantled. It was re-established as Syrian Air Force, but the revolution, and the Israeli air strikes that followed it, wrecked havoc in the inventory of the Air Force. In late 2025, the World Air Forces publication by FlightGlobal, which tracks the aircraft inventories of world's air forces and publishes its counts annually, removed all Syrian Air Force's aircraft from their World Air Forces 2026 report. It is thus questionable if the Syrian Air Force has any flying aircraft in their inventory, and in particular, any L-39, as of December 2025.

Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force 37 L-30ZA/ART in commissioned from 1994 to 2021.

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Air Force 2 aircraft.

Civil operators

Australia A small number of L-39s are flown in Australia as jet flight experiences for paying public.

Austria

Canada

International Test Pilots School

Northern Lights Aerobatics Team from Montreal used 2 L-39C in 2000, but ceased operating them and performing airshows after 2000. The aircraft were registered and based in the US with Northern Lights USA of Lafayette, LA with 1 lost in crash in 2001.

France Breitling Jet Team A civilian aerobatic display team based in Dijon, France; operating seven L-39 Albatros jets in the colours of their sponsor, Breitling.

Babcock has acquired this fleet in the establishment of their international fighter pilot training academy.

TopGun Voltige This company based in La Roche-sur-Yon operates 2 L-39 Albatros jets for touristic flights.

New Zealand Fighter Jets NZ operate 3 L-39 from Tauranga, NZ for jet flight experiences and also do airshow displays around the country.

Soviet Union DOSAAF DOSAAF paramilitary organization, tasked with the training and preparation of reserves for the Soviet armed forces, operated unknown number of L-39.

United States Hundreds of L-39s are finding new homes with private owners all over the world, especially in the United States.

See also Aero L-39 Albatros

References Notes

Bibliography

Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, Vol. 182, No. 5370, 11–17 December 2012. pp. 40–64. ISSN 0015-3710. Aero L-39 Albatros page in Scramble magazine