Subsonic Aircraft L-159 ALCA
An agreement for the delivery of 72 L-159 subsonic combat aircraft with the AERO Vodochody Company was developed as a result of a long-standing mutual interest between the company and the Czech Air Force. The number of aircraft to be delivered was based upon the findings of domestic and foreign experts, taking into account the size of the Czech military at that time and the assessed security risks, and the available funding. Even for its time this first Czech subsonic combat aircraft acquisition project was considered to be very ambitious.
Due to the cost of the project, the Czech government decided that a strategic partner would be invited to join with the AERO Vodochody company in the venture. Subsequently, the Boeing Company joined the project as the strategic partner. The Czech military took delivery of the last of these aircraft in February 2003.
Because the security and political situation in Europe and the world had changed significantly since the time the contract for procurement of 72 subsonic aircraft had been prepared, because the Czech Republic became a NATO member in 1999, and since a new concept for the build-up of the Czech military had been initiated, it was later decided to put into operation only 24 of the L-159s and to initiate a public tender for the procurement of 14 supersonic aircraft.
The Czech government then decided on 7 July 2004 that 47 of the L-159 ALCA aircraft could be sold. One aircraft was lost in the course of testing.
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February 4, 2010