No, it is not in production. I suggest you ask Aero Vodochody how many new L-159s have been built since 2003. I think you will find the number is zero. Perhaps Aero would like to sell new ones, but I doubt very much if that is realistic after such a long halt in production. It’s not unknown for production to be restarted after such a gap, but it is very rare, & usually fraught with difficulties.
Not one L-159B has been sold, & only one prototype built (my mistake – that prototype was new-built, not a rebuilt L-159A). When one looks at the attempted sales since 2003 (Poland, Greece, Georgia, Indonesia, Bolivia), one finds that in every case, customers were offered some of the stored aircraft.
The L-159 is obviously derived from the L-59. Aero Vodochody itself has said so, & an examination of the two side by side shows the similarities. The wing & tail, for example, are almost identical. Compare these two views:
http://www.aero.cz/en/l-59-training-and-light-attack-aircraft.html
http://www.aero.cz/en/l-159-combat-and-training-system.html
The L-159 has a new engine & avionics, but the airframe is a modified L-59. Note that is not a criticism: I am not running down the L-159, as you seem to think, from the intensity of your reaction. I like it, & would like to see those stored aircraft put into use. I think it a great pity that the idea of a joint Czech/Austrian/Polish/etc training fleet using them, & maybe new-build aircraft, did not become reality, for example. But we must face facts: it’s a bit late now to dream of re-starting production.
I never said they were Aero Vodochody’s property. The armed forces do want to sell them, & have been trying to for 5 years. The Czech Armed Forces website says so, & says the number to be sold was 47 (but that page has not been updated for a long time), & we know of several approaches to possible customers.
24 + 4 + 32 = 60. What happened to the other L-159s built for the Czech air force? One was lost, IIRC. That leaves 11 unaccounted for. Also, every report I’ve read says that the 4 trainer conversions came from the 24 operational L-159As. Is that incorrect? Can you provide support for what you say?
L159B is still in production, just if you order some L159B, Aero instantly starts to make that. Anyway Czech Air Force is planning replacement 7 L-39C and 12 L-39ZA with further twoseater L159 around 2011 and 2012 years, so furher twoseaters are sure and production as well. Production line of L159B and A is still in Aero Vodochody, so what about “the end”?. Todays very interesting news from MF Dnes (one of the most important newspaper) – negotiation with Canada about purchasing 9 two seater L159s for Canadien aerobatic team Snowbirds are started short time ago. And more minister of defence Barták will go to Jordan this Friday because king Abdalláh II. is interesting for about 20 L159 for Jordanian Air Force after his april visit in the Czechlands… And the visit of Austrian air force specialists to test L159 are planned for the start of the next year (maybe due to Pandurs IICZ contract?), so maybe numbers of stored L159As will be not enought. Again L159 has nothing to do with L-59, well if F-18A is the same or “similar” aircraft like F-18F according you opinion, well L-59 is the same like L159A. L159B is private Aero project and most modern, there are some differencies between L159A and L-159B, and L159B wasn´t developed for CzAF request, actually L159B is not only L159A two seater but better and more modern aircraft.
Is´t easy – 72 – 1 destroyed is 71. 71 – 24 used by Czech Air force is 47. 47 – 8 used for 4 Czech Air force L159T1 is 39 stored aircrafts. Spain will get 3 stored L159A and 2 Czech Air force L159T1. So 39 – 3 is 36 and Czech Air Force will get further 2 L159T1 rebuilted from 4 stored L159A. So the rest is 32. Every L159T1 for Czech Air Force is made from 2 stored L159A
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