In 15. 7. 2014 Czech ministry of defence will sell first 14 stored L-159As to Aero Vodochody for Aero´s deal with Draken. Sale to Iraq is still uncertain, contract with Draken has main priority

A few days first Iraqi pilots will come in Vodochody to train with L-159 in. Maybe prologue for the first Alca´s real combat actions?

Czechoslovak (and now Czech) police air force roundel since 1935

Slovak State 1939 – 1941

Roundel of Slovak Uprising air force in 1944

Yesterday Aero and Iraq have signed contract on 12 stored L159As for 200 million dollars. Aero mediates the planes selling from ministry of defense, overhaul those planes after that send to Iraq up to this september.

thanks for the update.

So Draken are paying about $800k – $900k per airframe… how come the number went down to 12-14?

not goes down, its only firt part of the contract. Draken want to buy up to 24 plus 4 planes from the start of the contract negotiation, but first part is about 12 plus 2 planes, and if the planes will be ok after delivery, Draken want to buy further 12 plus 2. But still as I sad, Iraqi delegation negotiated only with Aero, but stored planes are property of Czech government and it hasn´t got any Iraqi request or offer yet even there isn´t any negotiation between Czech and Iraqi government.

Well yes I do think its worth it, the UK did actually sell a significant proportion of its Typhoon fleet to service the Saudi Arabian contract. How is Iraq untrustworthy? They appear to pay up and are fairly firm in negotiations.

Does the Czech government want to export the L-159A or not?

yes, but stored, not in active service. Aero is interesting in selling brand new planes. Czech government has serious client – Draken International… Iraq is absolutely untrustworthy business partner, proof is L-159BQ contract, just promises, promises, promises, and after that just silence and… T-50 contract announcement. Nobody in the Czech republic trust to Iraq government about military contracts right now. Even more, Iraq sent to request and delegation to Aero (private company), but the stored planes are property of Czech army, realy serious partner. Finally, Czech government don´t need contract with Iraq, because Draken contract, Aero has no free L-159A or L-159T1 or T-159B… Czech government hasn´t money to replace 12 L-159A for brand new planes, so CzAF planes selling is absolutely nonsense. Iraq can buy new planes from Aero, highly gainful company right now, but Iraq has minimal chance to got used L-159A of Czech army…

Well how much does the Czech government want to see an export sale of the L-159A? As I understand it 72 were built so even with those being operated by the Czech airforce and sold to Draken international that leaves many that could be hot swapped to Iraq very quickly. An actual sale of the L-159A to Iraq could be the lifeblood to support a next generation model. The Serbian government treated their sale of the Lasta-95 as a priority over the needs of their airforce. If Iraq is desperate I can see the Czech government wanting this sown up, if most of the ground work was done before the Iraqi’s got cold feet then this could move very quickly if both sides are prepared to sign the dotted line.

If this does happen I wonder what JSR will come up with to explain it away :highly_amused:

Iraqies have no chance to get any stored L-159A if Draken will buy all 24 reserved planes. 72 minus two destroyed examples is 70. Minus 19 L-159A of CzAF, minus 12 planes used for 6 CzAF L-159T1, minus 4 planes reserved for future 2 CzAF L-159T2 (delivered date is planed in 2015), minus 24 planes for Draken mean only one stored L-159A is free (but Draken want to buy 24 plus 4 as source of spare parts)…
I am sure that Draken is much more serious business partner than Iraq, so I guess stored L-159s story will have obvious end…

Tchecoslovakia :

Mi-24V :

actually Mi-24V of Czech Air Force :-), tiger camo from 2002
first camo from 1998:
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