In late August 2025, Avions Légendaires reported that the Algerian Air Force (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jaza’iriya / Force Aérienne Algérienne, FAA) is in advanced discussions over a potential acquisition of 12 to 18 Aero Vodochody L-39NG “Skyfox” advanced jet trainers.
Algeria has been considering the Skyfox since mid-2024 as part of its plan to replace its ageing L-39C Albatros fleet which has been in service since the late 1980s. The L-39NG would not only take over primary training duties but also complement the Yakovlev Yak-130 (NATO reporting name: MITTEN) fleet currently serving with the FAA.
The FAA originally received 32 L-39ZA aircraft in three batches beginning in 1987 followed by seven newer L-39Cs delivered in 1991. These were assigned to the 8th Training Wing at Tafaraoui under the 2ème Escadron d’Entrainement Avancé (2nd Advanced Training Squadron). Meanwhile the Yak-130s are based with the 2nd Training Wing at Méchria.
Although primarily a trainer, the Albatros has also long been employed in secondary ground-attack roles, a capability that the Skyfox would continue to provide. This dual mission profile is of particular interest to the FAA as the aircraft would be well-suited to preparing future pilots for Algeria’s modern fleet of Su-34 “Fullback” strike fighters and Su-57 “Felon” fifth-generation multirole fighters.
If negotiations progress smoothly, industry observers expect a contract to be signed by late 2025 or early 2026.
