Ukraine returns refurbished combat aircraft to service

Ukraine has returned to service four combat aircraft that have recently undergone refurbishment work.
Two MiG-29 and two Sukhoi Su-27 fighters were handed back to the Ukrainian Air Force.
In addition to the aircraft, about 150 ground vehicles and other weapons systems were handed over to the military.
Since hostilities with Russia began in early 2014, Ukraine has returned scores of aircraft to service that would otherwise have become unairworthy due to a lack of investment in the country's armed forces. These have included MiG-29s and Su-27s, as well as Sukhoi Su-24 and Su-25 strike aircraft, and Antonov An-26 transport aircraft.
Having suffered from chronic underinvestment for years, the Ukrainian Air Force was placed at an instant disadvantage when Russian forces entered Crimea in early 2014. The air force's inability to respond with the assets that it did have was compounded when a number of its bases were overrun and its aircraft seized.
It is thought that 45 aircraft, including MiG-29 fighter and Aero L-39 trainer/light strike aircraft, were lost this way when the 204th Tactical Aviation Brigade at Belbek was overrun by Russian Spetsnaz troops on 21 March.
Further to this, when the Ukrainian Air Force did get involved in hostilities in a meaningful way in the east of the country, it found that this endemic underinvestment manifested itself in outdated and poorly maintained combat aircraft, as well as poorly trained pilots. Combined with a lack of combat experience and poor use of intelligence, this meant that the air force has suffered a high loss rate that continues through to today. At least 20 fighters, transports, and helicopters have been shot down in the past year.
While Ukraine's aircraft inventory remain impressive on paper, the country desperately needs to continue its refurbishment effort if it is to have at its disposal the numbers of serviceable and capable aircraft it requires to combat separatist factions.
janes

Royal Thailand Air force delays plan for new jet fighters

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is pushing the military to more quickly draft its spending plans for the 2016 fiscal year and submit them within the month.
Air Force commander ACM Treetod Sonjance said the Defence Ministry, the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, the Royal Thai Army, the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Thai Air Force are expected to prepare their budgets by mid-January.
He said Gen Prayut, who is also head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), wants to see how the armed forces and other military units prioritise their spending.
The Royal Thai Air Force has no plan to procure new fighter jets in the next budget year. It will focus on upgrades and maintenance instead.
Preliminary plans call for upgrades to the air force's fleet of F-5 jets. The aircraft have been in service for over 30 years.
A Defence Ministry source said the proposed defence spending is likely to be a little higher than the amount approved in 2015.
The source said the army is likely to propose the procurement of helicopters for general use. About 30 UH-1H (Huey) helicopters will be decommissioned. The US-made UH-72 (Lakota) aircraft is said to be on the army's wish list.
The army also has a plan to purchase a transporter aircraft under a budget of 1.25 billion baht. Ukraine's Antonov-30 and Spain's CN-295 are said to be at the top of the list.
An air force committee is working on choosing a new fleet of training aircraft to replace the L-39 model.
The air force has allocated 3.7 billion baht in the 2015 budget to procure a new fleet of training aircraft to replace the L-39 aircraft manufactured by the Czech Republic.
There are three contenders that meet the initial specifications: T-50 aircraft from South Korea, M-346 from Italy; and the Textron Airland Scorpion from the US. The South Korean aircraft is expected to come at the top of the list.
bangkokpost

Alenia Offers M-346 Master to Thailand

Alenia Aermacchi is offering its M-346 Master advanced jet trainer aircraft to Thailand as a replacement for its ageing Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros platforms.
No further details of the offer were disclosed. The RTAF currently fields 30 L-39 aircraft.
The tandem twin-seat, twin-engined, M-346 can operate both as a trainer and a light attack platform, making it well suited to the RTAF's requirements. It is provisioned for nine hardpoints, and can carry a range of 'dumb' and 'smart' munitions, AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles, and Brimstone anti-armour/low collateral missiles.
defense-studies

Aero Vodochody in Talks with Thailand over L-39 Replacement

Czech aircraft maker Aero Vodochody is in negotiations with the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to supply replacements for at least four Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros jet trainers.
Aero is offering its L-159 ALCA or L-39NG as replacement aircraft.
The RTAF currently operates a total of 36 L-39ZA/ART, most of which were westernised with Israeli avionics and are capable of firing Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
The bulk of these aircraft were procured during the early to mid-1990s. However, a smaller number of unwesternised L-39s were acquired during the 1980s and are approaching the end of their service lives.
defense-studies

Mozambique MiG-21s and L-39 upgraded in Romania

The Mozambique Air Force will shortly receive back into service all eight MiG-21 and one Aero L-39 Albatros jet trainer that have been undergoing refurbishment work in Romania.
Romanian aerospace company Aerostar recently completed the restoration project on six single-seat and two twin-seat MiG-21s, as well as on the twin-seat L-39ZO.
The programme lasted 12 months, with each aircraft taking approximately 120 days to go through the process to zero-time the airframes and fit some new equipment. According to Aerostar, as well as having their airframes refurbished, the MiGs were fitted with a GPS navigation system and a digital in-flight data recorder.
Six MiG-21s are now back in Mozambique with the final two aircraft being shipped from Romania imminently. Aerostar did not disclose when the L-39 might be returned. As well as overhauling the aircraft, the company is also providing air and ground training.
The FAM reportedly received 48 MiG-21bis fighters in 1982, but none have flown for more than a decade.
janes

Lithuania plans to buy more L-39

Lithuania plans to buy more L-39 ZA light jet trainer aircraft over the next two years to boost readiness of the county’s Air Force.
Lithuania plans to buy the aircraft in 2015-2016. .
L-39 ZA jet trainer aircraft are necessary for training specialists of the Lithuanian army, ensure combat readiness of pilots of the Air Force and provide direct aviation assistance for all types of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Lithuania has one L-39ZA Albatros.
lithuaniatribune

Thailand to Launch Lead-In Fighter Programme

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) expects to launch a USD400 million programme to acquire lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) aircraft following the formation of a new Thai government.
The aircraft acquired through the LIFT programme will replace a handful of ageing Northrop F-5 trainers in service with the RTAF and eventually its fleet of Aero L-39 Albatros trainer/light attack aircraft procured in the early 1990s. The procurement programme has become pressing since the RTAF started operating a fleet of 12 JAS 39 Gripen fighters, which were delivered from 2011-2013.
janes

Thai Air Force Began Considering Replacement of L-39ZA/ART Aircraft

Thai Air Force is beginning to consider alternative options for replacement of L-39ZA/ART with 3 candidates.
The aircraft L-39ZA/ART has been used a long time and the has been repaired to extend life twice. Currently, the Air Force station the aircraft in 401 Division 4 at Takhli and 411 Division 41 at Chiang Mai.
Is expected to advanced training aircraft in the Air Force is T-50 Golden Eagle from the Korea Aerospace Industry-Korea, M-346 Master of the Italian company Alenia Aermacch and L-15 Falcon of Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation of China.
defense-studies

La US Navy adquiere 3 L-39C Albatros para reforzar a la Fuerza Aérea Afgana/ U.S. Navy shopping for three L-39Cs for Afghanistan

De esta manera se incrementará la flota hasta las seis unidades. Se utilizarán para entrenamiento.
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The U.S. Navy is shopping for three L-39Cs to boost the Afghan National Army Air Force’s L-39 fleet to six aircraft.
This will allow younger pilots who are trained in Western-style pilot-training programs become the operators of these platforms, a USAF spokesman said.
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