Czech Republic to Transfer Combat Aircraft to Ukraine to Combat Drones

The Czech Republic will soon transfer combat aircraft capable of shooting down Russian drones to Ukraine.

This was announced on January 16 by Czech President Petr Pavel during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, according to Reuters.

“The Czech Republic can provide several medium combat aircraft in a relatively short time, which are extremely effective in combating drones. I believe that we will be able to resolve this issue quickly and successfully,” Pavel said at a press conference.

It should be recalled that in 2023, the Czech defense industry prepared a project for the joint production with Ukraine of Aero Vodochody’s F/A-259 aircraft.

The F/A-259 is a further development of the L-159 ALCA, a training and combat multi-role attack aircraft that made its first flight on August 2, 1997, and was publicly demonstrated at the SIAD-1999 air show in Bratislava.

The aircraft can use unpaved runways and has seven hardpoints for weapons.

As additional equipment, the F/A-259 can be equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Various upgrades or equipment replacements are also possible for each customer.

The transfer of L-159 ALCA aircraft is also possible. The Czech publication Armadni Noviny concluded that their capabilities in the field of air defense remain limited.

One of the key problems is the lack of integrated modern electro-optical pods that could ensure effective detection and tracking of small targets.

Iraqi L-159A aircraft were once equipped with Turkish ASELPOD containers, but their integration was incomplete and their functionality did not meet the requirements for combating drones. The use of ASELPOD in the L-159 revealed a number of limitations: lack of full integration with the onboard avionics, small display size, and the need to manually enter target coordinates.

One possible solution could be to use the two-seater L-159T2, where the second crew member — the weapons operator — could partially compensate for the shortcomings of the avionics. One option being considered is the Australian SiNAB Phoenix Pod, which is positioned as a low-cost means of guiding laser-guided munitions and could theoretically be used against drones.

However, even with additional equipment, the L-159 remains limited in its air defense capabilities. Its effectiveness against Shahed-type drones will depend on external guidance, ground radar support, and significant financial investment.