Babcock France acquires 11 L-39s and launches an optimized, NATO-standard international academy to train seasoned fighter pilots.
Babcock France strengthens its fighter pilot training capabilities with the integration of 11 L-39 “Albatros” aircraft. This acquisition, made from Apache Aviation, is designed to improve the quality of training within an international academy. The aim is to prepare operational pilots capable of operating within a standardized framework based on NATO doctrines.
The program includes the initial training of future fighter pilots, the retraining of already qualified professionals, and the preparation of advanced air traffic controllers (JTACs) for complex close air support missions. The courses are designed and taught by former fighter pilots from the French air force and space agency, guaranteeing a demanding, hands-on approach.
The use of L-39s enables us to recreate operational scenarios that are faithful to the realities on the ground, from engagement in air combat to coordination with ground units. This capability offers the potential for continuous training improvement, including the use of realistic aerial targets to refine mission quality. In this way, Babcock France aims to provide comprehensive support to the French and European armed forces, in order to train technically qualified pilots who are ready to intervene in complex operational conditions.
The involvement of the L-39s, formerly used by the Breitling Jet Team, brings a know-how derived from civilian aerobatic flight, combined with the requirements of military training. The expected result is a comprehensive range of skills, tailored to the specific needs of each customer, helping to enhance the safety, efficiency and coordination of the air force.
L-39 acquisition and capacity building
Babcock France’s acquisition of 11 L-39 “Albatros” aircraft is part of a strategy aimed at optimizing fighter pilot training for various air forces, particularly international ones. These aircraft, originally designed by AERO Vodochody (Czechoslovakia, then the Czech Republic), are renowned for their reliability and technical features suited to advanced training. With a length of around 12 m and a wingspan of almost 9.5 m, and an empty weight in excess of 3,400 kg, they are ideal for progressive training in aerial maneuvers. The aircraft reaches a maximum speed of around 750 km/h and can operate at altitudes in excess of 11,000 m, offering a wide range of training profiles.
The choice of L-39s is based on their adaptability to modern training scenarios. The new aircraft integrated by Babcock France come from Apache Aviation, a company which has flown these aircraft in civilian activities, in particular with the Breitling Jet Team. This provenance is an asset: the L-39s thus acquired already benefit from rigorous technical follow-up and a controlled operating history. This translates into a reduction in initial maintenance operations, and saves time when putting them into service in training programs.
This acquisition strengthens Babcock France’s ability to provide customized training services to air forces. The L-39s represent a sound technical choice, costing less than modern fighters such as the Rafale, while retaining sufficient performance to prepare pilots for the demands of air combat. In the military training market, the operational flexibility offered by an intermediate trainer like the L-39 is highly appreciated. Operating costs are lower, and a complete training cycle on the L-39 is less expensive than an equivalent program on a latest-generation fighter. Exact cost conversions depend on the modalities, but estimates gathered from various players in the industry suggest that a flight hour on the L-39 is up to 30% cheaper than an hour on a modern fighter aircraft. This saving enables customer forces to optimize their training budgets and better allocate their resources between training, fleet maintenance and operational deployments.
The international training academy, infrastructure and organization
The international training academy set up by Babcock France occupies a former military site, providing a solid, suitable infrastructure. This location offers maintenance hangars, runways long enough to accommodate training jets, as well as simulation rooms and areas dedicated to mission preparation. The typical dimensions of a runway on a former military base enable safe take-off and landing, particularly for L-39s. For example, a runway around 2,000 m long guarantees the necessary margin, even in complex weather conditions.
The academy is positioned as an international center, ready to meet the needs of a wide range of air forces. The neutrality of its approach and the standardization of its procedures in line with NATO doctrines attract pilots from a wide range of countries. By 2023, several air forces in Europe and on other continents were already looking to outsource part of their training, for lack of sufficient infrastructure or in-house capabilities. The global market for military aviation training is worth several hundred million euros a year, with a trend towards outsourcing to lighten the logistical burden on national forces.
At the academy, trainees follow a structured course. Briefing rooms equipped with advanced multimedia tools enable them to analyze each flight, study mission profiles and understand standard procedures. Simulators are also available to familiarize students with weapon systems, operational scenarios and aircraft controls. Each training cycle is modulated according to level and objectives: initial training for future pilots, retraining for already experienced pilots, advanced ground-air coordination for advanced air traffic controllers (JTACs).
The academy also includes dedicated maintenance services. Technical teams ensure regular maintenance and pre-flight checks, as well as monitoring L-39 overhaul schedules. Access to spare parts, often imported from Central Europe, is anticipated to minimize downtime. L-39 maintenance costs, estimated at between a few hundred and a few thousand euros per flying hour, depending on the intensity of missions, remain reasonable for a training center.
This comprehensive package makes the academy a magnet for forces looking for a reliable partner capable of offering comprehensive, technical training in line with international standards.
Training programs, NATO alignment and realistic scenarios
The training programs offered by Babcock France are based on NATO-aligned doctrines and procedures. This standardization ensures that trainees trained here can integrate seamlessly into multinational operations. Compliance with common procedures, knowledge of radio codes, rules of engagement and collective tactical maneuvers are major assets for pilots called upon to operate in a variety of contexts.
Training on the L-39 involves a wide range of missions. Trainees learn to control the aircraft, and to manage take-off, landing, formation flying, simulated air combat and ground support. Scenarios reproduce credible operational configurations: attacking fixed or moving targets, neutralizing air threats, escorting heavier aircraft, supporting ground units. For example, a scenario might involve a close air support (CAS) mission for ground troops, requiring close coordination with JTACs. Students receive specific training enabling them to understand controllers’ requests, and adjust their position, altitude and speed to provide accurate support.
The courses are structured in several phases. In the first stage, pilots acquire basic mastery of the L-39. They learn its engine speed, its cruising speed (around 600 km/h), its range (up to 1,000 km depending on configuration and fuel tanks), and its maneuverability. Then come the tactical modules: apprehension of tight formations, execution of defensive maneuvers against air threats, simulation of air-to-air firing using inertial training systems. On-board electronics aid debriefing, allowing analysis of trajectory accuracy, maneuver consistency and teamwork efficiency.
Exercises then progress to complex scenarios involving multiple aircraft, multiple targets, encrypted communications, and the integration of external factors such as weather or the appearance of unexpected threats. Every parameter is studied to ensure that pilots adapt quickly.
The aim of these programs is to produce pilots ready to operate in an international context. NATO standards, combined with available resources, ensure consistency in training and compatibility with the needs of many customer air forces.
The role of former French fighter pilots as instructors
Courses are taught by former fighter pilots from the French Air and Space Force, with hands-on experience of modern air operations. These professionals often have several thousand flying hours under their belts, on advanced aircraft such as the Mirage 2000 or Rafale. Their presence lends immediate operational credibility to the academy, ensuring that the principles taught are not limited to theory, but resonate with practical experience.
These instructors not only pass on technical knowledge, but also strategic and tactical reflexes. For example, an instructor may explain how to react when an enemy aircraft approaches at high speed, or how to manage fuel consumption during a prolonged mission. What’s more, experience gained in overseas operations, in environments such as the Sahel, the Levant or Eastern Europe, ensures a fine-tuned understanding of the constraints on the ground.
Training is tailored to the trainees’ initial skills. Some arrive with experience of turboprop aircraft, others already know their way around a supersonic fighter. Instructors assess skills, identify gaps and then adapt the program. Thanks to this approach, each pilot progresses at an optimal pace, acquiring concrete and directly useful skills.
On the international training market, the presence of experienced instructors is a strong argument. According to estimates, a qualified instructor who has served as a patrol leader or staff officer can add around 20% to training efficiency, measured by the time it takes for a trainee to reach an operational level. In addition, skills transfer and feedback facilitate the assimilation of complex doctrines, such as the simultaneous management of air and ground threats, or rapid decision-making in the face of tactical change.
This approach combines human experience and technical resources to stabilize trainees’ performance levels, providing them with comprehensive, realistic preparation. The expected result is a group of pilots capable of operating in demanding environments, with a thorough understanding of the principles and tools available to them.
Operational unit support, aerial target training and adaptation
In addition to pilot training, Babcock France plans to use its L-39s to support various military units. This includes aerial target setting, a crucial function for training forces on the ground and at sea. The aircraft can simulate intrusions, aerial threats or low-level passes designed to test ground-air defense systems. For example, a scenario might involve an L-39 performing a trajectory simulating a cruise missile, prompting ground crews to react appropriately. This type of training improves the responsiveness and accuracy of defenses.
L-39s can also be used to train ships’ crews. By operating in close proximity to ships, they enable sailors to practice detection, radar tracking, preparation of electronic countermeasures, and possibly the use of naval artillery, if scenario rules allow. The result is improved coordination between the various components of the armed forces, as well as an enhanced ability to deal with realistic air threats.
The operational flexibility of the L-39 also enables us to address the specific needs of each customer. Some air forces may require training in tactical reconnaissance, others in close air support, or in forward air control (JTAC). Thanks to their instrumentation and the possibility of adding surveillance or communication systems, the L-39s can adapt to these configurations. The integration of video recording and telemetry systems provides invaluable support during debriefings. Trainees, instructors and commanders can analyze every parameter, correct errors and perfect preparation.
The European market is demanding these capabilities. Geopolitical tensions, the need to prepare interoperable forces and the need to cut costs are driving armies to rely on external partners to increase their efficiency. Babcock France has positioned itself in this niche, providing a technical platform, qualified instructors and scenarios tailored to customers’ strategic environments. This approach offers an economy of scale for customer forces, avoiding the immobilization of their high-end aircraft for basic training missions.
The L-39 and the Breitling Jet Team, a heritage of expertise
The acquisition of these L-39s is based on a singular history. These aircraft were operated by the Breitling Jet Team, a civilian formation renowned for its aerial displays around the world. The group’s pilots have performed numerous demonstrations in Europe, North America and Asia, showcasing the L-39’s maneuverability and ruggedness. This experience in civil aerobatics proves invaluable, as the aircraft now joining the academy have full maintenance records and a verified performance history. Maintenance teams can thus rely on precise data to ensure aircraft reliability.
This historical link is of additional interest. The Breitling Jet Team operated L-39s in a variety of environments, sometimes at low altitudes, sometimes on international deployments, requiring rigorous maintenance and control of the supply chain. Babcock France has inherited this rigor and can capitalize on the expertise it has acquired. As a result, the aircraft are ready to be integrated into military training cycles, without the need for major overhauls. As a result, the operational uptime of each aircraft can reach very high levels, sometimes in excess of 90%.
The L-39, originally designed as a military trainer during the Cold War, has since established itself as a benchmark in the training field. More than 2,800 have been produced, and the aircraft equips or has equipped numerous air forces. This wide distribution guarantees the availability of spare parts, a stable network of suppliers, and a community of experts familiar with the jet’s technical features. The cost of acquiring and operating the L-39 remains moderate, facilitating its integration into advanced training programs, while ensuring satisfactory operational performance.
By combining the heritage of the Breitling Jet Team, Babcock France’s maintenance expertise and the expertise of Babcock France, the academy is able to offer a reliable, technically mature training environment in line with the expectations of modern air forces. Trainees benefit from stable training conditions, while the training organization can focus on continuous curriculum improvement. The ultimate aim is to ensure the long-term availability of qualified pilots, ready to serve in air forces requiring responsiveness, technical expertise and precision.
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