Discussions about the Czech Republic potentially transferring some of its combat aircraft to Ukraine have been ongoing for several years. Now, it appears that Ukraine's Defense Forces may indeed receive several light attack aircraft in the near future

The Czech Republic plans to deliver several combat aircraft to Ukraine on short notice, which could be used to counter russian missile and drone attacks. This was announced by Czech President Petr Pavel during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Pavel did not disclose which specific aircraft might be transferred, but emphasized that they could be highly effective against drones. “I hope we will be able to resolve this issue quickly and successfully,” he said.

In this context, it is worth recalling that as early as May 2023, Czech President Petr Pavel, when considering how his country could further strengthen Ukraine’s Defense Forces, spoke about the possible transfer of L-159 light attack aircraft to Ukraine.

At the time, we provided a detailed overview of this aircraft and its capabilities. Briefly, the L-159 is equipped with an airborne radar from the FIAR Grifo L family produced by Italy’s Leonardo. It can also carry a Litening targeting pod, enabling the use of precision-guided munitions, among other features.