Modern training and attack aircraft

For nearly 3 decades, after the end of the Cold War, the majority of the world's air forces remained in a relatively frozen technological format, and deflation of numbers and formats was in order. In fact, the need to modernize fleets of advanced training planes, used to train aircrews before switching to weapons planes, was taking a back seat, the HQs doing their best to preserve their combat fleets. first of all. In addition, format reductions, often linked to the non-replacement of obsolete equipment, appeared to be less important than maintaining economic fundamentals, especially since two major crises hit the West in 2008 and 2012.

With the return of international tensions, from 2013, and the emergence of a new arms race, many countries revised their positions, opening up a large market for training and light attack aircraft. For some air forces, it is above all a question of training its crews on aircraft with a piloting environment and capabilities close to those of weapon planes, for others, these aircraft constitute an additional force not negligible, especially since they sometimes provide significant performance. Let's take a look at these devices.

Aero L-159 Alca - Czech Republic

During the Cold War, the Czechoslovak firm Aéro Vodochody delivered more than 6000 L-29 Delphin (3500 ex) and L-39 Albatros (2500 ex) training and attack aircraft to members of the Warsaw Pact and its allies. After the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the company lost its captive state markets, and more than 80% of its annual orders. To return to this market, in 1997 it presented the L-159 Alca, an 8-tonne single-engine two-seater specializing in advanced training and ground support, with a cockpit and modern avionics.

Its right wing and the absence of afterburners limit the aircraft to subsonic flight, but it can carry many weapons including the AIM-9M Sidewinder missile, IRIS-T and ASRAMM for close air combat, as well. as various guided bombs and AGM-65 Maverik and AGM-88 Harm missiles for ground strikes. Despite its unit price of less than $ 10 million, it was only ordered by the Czech Republic (24 ex) and Iraq (14 ex). The aircraft was also acquired by the American company Draken International in 21 copies, the L-159 being intended to simulate enemy aircraft as part of the training of US Air Force pilots.

Leonardo M-346 Master - Italy

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