The Armenian defence minister Suren Papikyan visited the aircraft maker Aero Vodochody on 20 October 2026; Aero did not confirm a contract for L-39 Skyfox aircraft.
The Armenian defence minister Suren Papikyan visited the aircraft maker Aero Vodochody on 20 October 2026. According to the Armenian defence ministry, he met the company's management, discussed cooperation and toured the plant and production demonstrations. The Armenian ministry published a photograph of an L-39 Skyfox aircraft with Armenian markings on its website and on Facebook.[1][2]
The order
According to the Czech News Agency, up to four aircraft could head to Armenia in the coming weeks. Aero did not confirm the order or the number of aircraft. The Aero spokesman Lukáš Hora said the company cannot comment on commercial cooperation and referred to the information published by the Armenian ministry. The Armenian side has not disclosed the number of aircraft, the value of the contract or the delivery date. In June 2026, Aero announced that it was completing production of four aircraft for a foreign customer that had not yet been named.[1][2]
Earlier contacts
At the beginning of September 2026, the Armenian president Vahagn Khachaturyan also visited Aero, where the company presented the Skyfox to him. The Armenian air force has long used L-39 Albatros aircraft.[1][2]
The L-39 Skyfox aircraft
The Skyfox, originally designated L-39NG, is a new generation of the L-39 Albatros trainer. It is subsonic, has modern avionics and a Williams FJ44-4M engine and, besides pilot training, can perform light combat and reconnaissance tasks and carry weapon systems, including a variant for destroying drones. Aero has delivered Skyfoxes to Vietnam, Hungary and the Czech Aviation Training Centre of the state enterprise LOM Praha. In June 2026 it also announced orders from Angola and North America.[1][2]
Related articles: Aero Vodochody
Chronology
- — Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan visited the aircraft maker Aero Vodochody on 20 October and met the company's management; Aero has not yet confirmed a delivery of L-39 Skyfox aircraft to Armenia. ČTK / České noviny Zdopravy.cz
Sources
- ČTK / České noviny — 20 October 2026
- Zdopravy.cz — 20 October 2026