Czech Air Force
The Czech Air Force (Vzdušné síly AČR) inherited two-thirds of the Czechoslovak air arm on 1 January 1993, a lineage that runs back to Prague-Kbely in November 1918 and through the RAF squadrons of 1940–45 whose veterans the communist state later purged; today it guards Czech and Slovak skies with 14 leased Gripens and 24 L-159s from Čáslav while it waits for 24 F-35As, the most expensive purchase in the history of the Czech armed forces.
The Czech Air Force story: Kbely in 1918, the RAF squadrons, the purge and the wait for the F-35
1918–1939: Kbely, Avia and an air force that never fought
Czechoslovak military flying began with the new state itself. Wikipedia dates the Aviation Corps (Letecký sbor) to 30 October 1918, and the 24th Air Transport Base’s own history says the airfield at Prague-Kbely was set up in November 1918, with the first aircraft of the Czechoslovak “air navigation” flying there in December. Between the wars the country built an aircraft industry out of all proportion to its size: Avia produced 568 B-534 biplane fighters and Letov more than 470 Š-28 reconnaissance aircraft, and in 1926 Captain Vilém Stanovský flew an Aero Ab-11 some 15,000 km across 23 countries, a flight the Kbely museum still celebrates. When the air force mobilised on 23 September 1938 it had more than 100 airfields and about 1,300 aircraft, 650 of them front-line types. It never fought. After Munich the state was dismembered, and in March 1939 the Luftwaffe confiscated every aircraft. The weakness was not the pilots or the factories but the biplane fighter at the centre of the plan, already outclassed in 1938.
1939–1945: in exile, over Britain, France, Slovakia and Moravia
The airmen went abroad. Many flew for France in 1940; Wikipedia records seven Légion d’honneur awards and 70 Croix de Guerre. In Britain No. 310 Squadron formed at Duxford on 10 July 1940, the first RAF squadron crewed by foreign nationals, and claimed 37.5 victories in the Battle of Britain; 311 (bombers, later Coastal Command), 312 and 313 followed. The Military History Institute (VHU) counts nearly 2,500 Czechoslovaks in Western air units, of whom 529 were killed or missing. No. 311 paid most: 94 of its first 318 airmen were killed in Bomber Command alone. In the east, a fighter regiment formed in the USSR flew 22 La-5FNs into the Slovak National Uprising on 17 September 1944, the date still kept as Czechoslovak Air Force Day; the war graves office credits it with 561 sorties and 10 enemy aircraft shot down. The 1st Czechoslovak Mixed Air Division, formed on 25 January 1945 with La-5FN fighters and Il-2 attack aircraft, went into combat over Moravia on 14 April 1945.
1945–1950: homecoming, Spitfires and the purge
No. 310 Squadron landed at Prague-Ruzyně on 31 August 1945, and the RAF squadrons became units of the new Czechoslovak air force, bringing their Spitfire IXs home; 311 brought Liberators. Beside them stood 56 Soviet La-7s, Bf 109 derivatives built as the Avia S-99 and S-199, and even a handful of Me 262 jets completed from German parts as the Avia S-92. VHU counts 1,359 Western airmen who returned in 1945, and only about 450 still serving in 1946. The communist takeover of February 1948 finished them: VHU says the first dismissals came almost at once, and by 1950 only 13 former RAF men remained in the forces, all banned from flying. More than 400 emigrated, over 100 of them back into the RAF; others, including the wartime inspector-general Karel Janoušek and the fighter pilot František Fajtl, were imprisoned or sent to labour camps. In 1948 Czechoslovakia sold its Spitfires to the new state of Israel. It is the most shameful chapter of the lineage, and fewer than 200 of the RAF veterans lived to see 1989.
1950–1989: a licence-built Warsaw Pact air force
The air force of the Warsaw Pact years was large and largely home-built. Aero Vodochody and Avia licence-built the MiG-15 (620 S-103s), the MiG-19 (103 S-105s) and the MiG-21 (194 S-106s), and Czechoslovakia designed the trainers that the whole bloc used: the L-29 Delfín and the L-39 Albatros, first flown on 4 November 1968, the first turbofan-powered trainer in the world. Su-7s, MiG-23s, Su-22s, Su-25s and, at the end, 18 MiG-29As arrived from the Soviet Union; the first Mi-24 attack helicopters reached Prostějov on 24 August 1978. On 10 March 1953 Captain Jaroslav Šrámek shot down an American F-84 near the Bavarian border, the only jet kill ever credited to a Czechoslovak pilot, in an engagement whose location Prague and Washington disputed. When Warsaw Pact armies invaded in August 1968, the air force did not resist. The strength of the era was industrial depth; the weakness was that doctrine, types and numbers were set in Moscow.
1993–2015: the split, the L-159 gamble and the Gripen lease
Czechoslovakia split on 1 January 1993 and its air assets were divided two to one in the Czech favour, except the 18 MiG-29As, halved. The new air force cut hard: MiG-23MFs went in 1994 and MLs in 1998, the ten MiG-29s were exchanged with Poland for W-3A Sokół rescue helicopters, the Su-25s were retired in December 2000 and the Su-22s in 2002. The Czech Republic joined NATO on 12 March 1999. Its big bet was the L-159 ALCA: 72 ordered on 4 July 1997 for about 50 billion koruna, delivered from 10 April 2000 and cut to 24 active aircraft in 2003, with the surplus later sold to Iraq and the US contractor Draken International. A plan to buy Gripens was deferred after the 2002 floods and replaced by a lease; the first of 14 JAS 39C/Ds landed at Čáslav on 18 April 2005, and the upgraded MiG-21MFNs retired. Gripens flew Baltic air policing in 2009 and 2012 and guarded Iceland in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and the 211th Tactical Squadron became a full NATO Tiger member, and Silver Tiger winner, in 2010.
2016–2026: F-35s, American helicopters and the money question
The last decade has been the largest re-equipment since 1993. The Mi-24/35 was retired in two steps, a farewell on 14 October 2023 and the last Mi-35s in March 2024, which went to Ukraine; twelve Bell UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters bought on 12 December 2019 were all in the country by 13 June 2024, and Washington gave eight more in recognition of Czech aid to Ukraine. On 29 January 2024 Jana Černochová signed for 24 F-35As, a package the ministry prices at nearly 150 billion koruna to 2034. On 1 September 2025 the Gripen lease was extended to 2035 with 12 aircraft for 16.695 billion koruna, and the first C-390 transport was handed over at Kbely on 16 July 2026. The other side of the ledger is money and time: the F-35s arrive only from 2029, the L-159s are to go after 2035, and under NATO’s revised method the country fell short of 2 per cent of GDP in 2025; the government of Andrej Babiš says it will reach it in 2027.
The Czech Air Force in numbers
Service
- Native name
- Vzdušné síly Armády České republikyThe ministry’s own pages use the short form Vzdušné síly AČR; the headquarters is the Velitelství Vzdušných sil AČR (Air Force Command). The English Wikipedia title is Czech Air Force
- Founded
- 1 January 1993Successor, with the Slovak Air Force, to the Czechoslovak Air Force, whose Aviation Corps dates from 30 October 1918. Air Force Day is kept on 17 September, the date the Czechoslovak fighter regiment arrived in the Slovak National Uprising in 1944
- Part of
- Army of the Czech Republic (Armáda České republiky)Air Force Command reports to the General Staff. From 1 December 2003 to 2013 the air force lost its independence inside the Joint Forces
- Headquarters
- PragueAir Force Command, Prague
- Commander
- Brig. Gen. Petr TománekTook command on 9 July 2026 from Maj. Gen. Petr Čepelka (1 November 2022 – 9 July 2026)
- Minister of Defence
- Jaromír ZůnaMinister in the government of Andrej Babiš; his predecessor Jana Černochová signed the F-35 and C-390 contracts
Strength
- Personnel
- About 5,200Wikipedia’s figure; no current official total was found on the ministry pages checked. The Gripen squadron alone has about 170 people and the L-159 squadron about 100
- Combat aircraft
-
- JAS 39C/D Gripen — 14 (12 C, 2 D), leased
- L-159A ALCA — 16
- L-159T1+/T2 — 8 two-seaters
All at Čáslav with the 211th and 212th Tactical Squadrons. Gripens fall to 12 (10 C, 2 D) when the new lease starts in 2027
- Helicopters
-
- UH-1Y Venom — 8 (2 more donated)
- AH-1Z Viper — 4 (6 more donated)
- Mi-17/Mi-171Sh — about 20
- W-3A Sokół — 10
Náměšť nad Oslavou (H-1 and Mi-171Sh) and Prague-Kbely (W-3A, Mi-17). The eight H-1s given by the United States were being upgraded and had not all arrived in the sources checked
- Transport
-
- A319CJ — 2
- C-295M/MW — 6
- C-390 Millennium — 1 (2 bought)
- L-410 — 6
24th Air Transport Base, Prague-Kbely. The second C-390 is due in December 2027
- Trainers
-
- L-39 Skyfox — 6 (8 planned)
- L-39C Albatros — retired 2 September 2026
- Zlín Z-242L / Z-143LSi — 8
Pilot training is contracted to the Flight Training Centre (CLV) at Pardubice, part of the state enterprise LOM Praha. The ministry counted four Skyfoxes in August 2025; CzechAirForce.com reported six in service and eight planned in July 2026. The CLV’s last L-39C Albatros flight was on 2 September 2026
- Defence budget
- 154.8 billion koruna (2026, ministry chapter)184.7 billion across all chapters, which the government put at 2.06–2.1 per cent of GDP; under NATO’s revised method 2025 spending was 1.78–1.85 per cent. The ministry plans 191 billion for 2027
Infrastructure
- Air bases
-
- Čáslav — 21st Tactical Air Force Base, Gripen and L-159
- Náměšť nad Oslavou — 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base
- Prague-Kbely — 24th Air Transport Base
- Pardubice — airfield administration and flight training
Plus the 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment at Strakonice and the 26th Command, Control and Surveillance Regiment at Stará Boleslav
- Oldest airfield
- Prague-Kbely, November 1918The first Czechoslovak military airfield; home of the Kbely aviation museum, which opened its 58th season in April 2026
- NATO air defence
- Since 12 March 1999Čáslav joined the NATO integrated air defence system the day the country joined NATO; the L-159s have backed up national air defence on request since 1 January 2008
- Slovak airspace
- Shared with Poland since 1 September 2022Czech and Polish fighters protect Slovakia’s airspace after its MiG-29s were grounded
- F-35 home
- ČáslavChosen as the F-35 base; D-level maintenance is planned at Cameri in Italy
How the Czech Air Force is organised
One command in Prague over three numbered air bases and the air defence and surveillance regiments. Every fighter is at Čáslav, the attack helicopters are at Náměšť nad Oslavou, and transport and government flying is at Prague-Kbely; pilot training is contracted to a state enterprise at Pardubice. Since 1 September 2022 Czech and Polish fighters have protected Slovak airspace.
Air Force Command
In Prague, under the General Staff; commanded since 9 July 2026 by Brig. Gen. Petr Tománek, who succeeded Maj. Gen. Petr Čepelka. From 2003 to 2013 the air force lost its independence inside the Joint Forces.
21st Tactical Air Force Base
Every Czech fighter: the 211th Tactical Squadron with 14 leased Gripens, on NATO alert since 1 July 2005, and the 212th with the L-159. While Čáslav’s runway is rebuilt, from April 2026 to autumn 2028, the Gripens fly from Pardubice and the L-159s from Náměšť.
22nd Helicopter Air Force Base
The 221st Squadron with the AH-1Z Vipers and UH-1Y Venoms that replaced the Mi-24/35, and the 222nd with Mi-171Š transports; more than 1,000 people by the base’s own count.
24th Air Transport Base
Government A319CJs, C-295 and L-410 transports, W-3A Sokol and Mi-17 helicopters and, since 16 July 2026, the first C-390. The base has flown all state VIP flights since 1 January 1999.
Air defence and surveillance regiments
The 25th Air Defence Missile Regiment at Strakonice and the 26th Command, Control and Surveillance Regiment at Stará Boleslav.
Centre of Aviation Training
Pilot training is contracted to the state enterprise LOM PRAHA at Pardubice, which flies the L-39 Skyfox and Zlín trainers; its last L-39C Albatros flight was on 2 September 2026.
What the Czech Air Force flies today
Every type on charge, linked to its Book of Beasts page where one exists. Counts are aircraft on the books, not aircraft available on a given day.
| Type | Role | In service | Since | Units | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saab JAS 39C/D GripenIn service | Multirole fighter | 14 | 2005 | 12 single-seat C and 2 two-seat D, leased from Sweden.
MoreUnder the lease signed on 1 September 2025 the fleet falls to 12 (10 C, 2 D) from 2027 and runs to 2035; two aircraft will be retired to cut costs. |
||
| Aero L-159 ALCA (L-159A, L-159T1+, L-159T2)In service | Light combat aircraft and lead-in trainer | 24 | 2000 | 16 single-seat L-159A, 5 L-159T1+ and 3 L-159T2 two-seaters. 72 L-159As were ordered; the active fleet was cut to 24 in 2003. | ||
| Bell UH-1Y VenomIn service | Utility helicopter | 8 | 2023 | 8 bought and delivered by 13 June 2024; 2 more given by the United States, being upgraded. | ||
| Bell AH-1Z ViperIn service | Attack helicopter | 4 | 2023 | 4 bought; 6 more given by the United States in recognition of Czech aid to Ukraine, being upgraded for 8.128 billion koruna, of which USD 300 million is covered by US compensation. | ||
| Mil Mi-17 and Mi-171ShIn service | Transport and utility helicopter | 20 | About 20 per Wikipedia, 15 of them Mi-171Sh with the 222nd Helicopter Squadron. Czechoslovakia had flown 98 Mi-8T, 90 Mi-8P and 76 Mi-17. | |||
| PZL-Świdnik W-3A SokółIn service | Search and rescue helicopter | 10 | 1995 | 10 per Wikipedia. | ||
| Airbus A319CJIn service | Government and VIP transport | 2 | 2007 | Two. | ||
| Airbus (CASA) C-295M and C-295MWIn service | Tactical transport | 6 | 2010 | Four delivered by 2010 and two more ordered in 2017. | ||
| Embraer C-390 MillenniumIn service | Tactical transport and tanker | 1 | 2026 | First of two handed over on 16 July 2026; the second is due in December 2027. | ||
| Let L-410 TurboletIn service | Light transport and survey | 6 | Six per Wikipedia. | |||
| Aero L-39 SkyfoxIn service | Jet trainer (contractor-operated) | 6 | 2025 | 6 in service and 8 planned, according to CzechAirForce.com in July 2026; the ministry had counted four in August 2025, with a decision on four more then pending. | ||
| Zlín Z-242L Zeus and Z-143LSi GeniusIn service | Primary trainer (contractor-operated) | 8 | 2025 | Aircraft 0541–0548: two Genius and six Zeus. |
On order
| Type | Ordered | First delivery | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIOn order | 24 | 2029 | Signed on 29 January 2024 by Jana Černochová and US Ambassador Bijan Sabet after government approval on 27 September 2023.
MoreThe ministry puts the package at nearly 150 billion koruna to 2034 (about USD 5 billion to the US plus 44 billion at home). Its schedule: six in 2029, two in 2030, four in 2031, then four a year, all by 2034, full capability in 2035; iROZHLAS reported the first in the country in 2031. Home base Čáslav. Sources disagree on whether the first twelve are built in the US or at Cameri, Italy. |
|
| Embraer C-390 MillenniumOn order | 1 | 2026 | Second of two, due in December 2027. | |
| Bell AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom (US donation)On order | 8 | Six AH-1Z and two UH-1Y given by the United States, upgraded under a contract of 2024 worth 8.128 billion koruna, USD 300 million of it paid by US compensation for Czech aid to Ukraine.
More |
Every type the Czech Air Force has retired
27 types, from the Hawker Hurricane I and II to the Aero L-39 Albatros. Peak figures are airframes taken on charge over the whole service life, not fleet strength on any one date.
| Type | Role | Peak | Served | Replaced by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aero L-39 Albatros | Jet trainer | 1974–2026 | L-39 Skyfox | About 2,260 L-39Cs were built from 1971 to 1996 for the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and export; Czech numbers were not confirmed.
MoreSeven L-39s remained at the CLV Pardubice in the Wikipedia list. |
||
| Mil Mi-24D/DU/V and Mi-35 | Attack helicopter | 1978–2024 | AH-1Z, UH-1Y | CZDefence gives 28 Mi-24D and 2 Mi-24DU, 31 Mi-24V and 17 Mi-24V/Mi-35 bought in the 2000s; Wikipedia gives 38 Mi-24D, 2 DU and 30 V for Czechoslovakia. The D figure is contested. | ||
| Canadair CL-601 Challenger | VIP transport | 1 | One, serial 5105. | |||
| Yakovlev Yak-40 | VIP transport | 2 | 1981–2020 | The last two. | ||
| Antonov An-26 | Tactical transport | 1966–2010 | C-295M | |||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (incl. Avia S-106, MiG-21MF and MFN) | Fighter and reconnaissance | Gripen | Czechoslovakia had 194 licence-built S-106 (MiG-21F-13), 40 PF, PFM, 25 R, 24 M/MA, 102 MF and 45 two-seaters. The Czech Air Force upgraded 10 MF to MiG-21MFN standard. | |||
| Sukhoi Su-22M4 and Su-22UM3K | Fighter-bomber | 36 | L-159 | 31 Su-22M4 and 5 UM3K inherited in 1993 from a Czechoslovak fleet of 49 and 8. | ||
| Sukhoi Su-25K and Su-25UBK | Ground attack | 25 | L-159 | 24 Su-25K and 1 UBK inherited in 1993 from a Czechoslovak fleet of 34 and 1. | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MF, ML, BN and UB | Interceptor and fighter-bomber | 1977–1998 | Czechoslovakia had 13 MF, 16 ML, 32 BN and 8 UB; the Czech share was not confirmed. | |||
| Mikoyan MiG-29A and MiG-29UB | Air superiority fighter | 10 | Czechoslovakia had 18 MiG-29A and 2 UB, split evenly with Slovakia in 1993; the Czech ten (nine A, one UB) went to Poland. | |||
| Avia S-99 and S-199 (Bf 109G derivatives) | Fighter | |||||
| Avia S-92 and CS-92 (Messerschmitt Me 262) | Jet fighter | 12 | 1947–1951 | MiG-15 | Nine S-92 and three two-seat CS-92, completed from German-made parts from August 1946. | |
| Supermarine Spitfire (LF IX and earlier marks) | Fighter | 1941–1948 | ||||
| Lavochkin La-5FN | Fighter | 1944–1945 | La-7 | 22 flew into the Slovak National Uprising; the 1st Fighter Regiment of the air division had 32 on formation in 1945. | ||
| Vickers Wellington I, IA and IC | Bomber | 1940–1943 | Liberator | RAF aircraft flown by No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. | ||
| Hawker Hurricane I and II | Fighter | 1940–1941 | Spitfire | RAF aircraft flown by Czechoslovak squadrons; numbers not applicable. | ||
| Avia B-534 | Fighter | 568 built in all; the number in Czechoslovak service in 1938 was not confirmed. | ||||
| Sukhoi Su-7BM, Su-7BKL and Su-7U | Fighter-bomber | 102 | 1964– | 64 BM, 31 BKL and 7 U. | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19P, S, PM and Avia S-105 | Fighter and interceptor | 175 | 27 P, 12 S, 103 licence-built S-105 and 33 PM. | |||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F and Avia S-104 (MiG-17PF) | Fighter | 30 MiG-17F imported; Wikipedia gives 457 S-104 built under licence, not all for the home air force. | ||||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (Avia S-102, S-103, CS-102) | Fighter | Licence production: 13 S-102, 620 S-103 and 20 CS-102 two-seaters per Wikipedia; the number kept by the air force was not confirmed. | ||||
| Ilyushin Il-28 (B-228) | Light bomber | 90 | 90 Il-28; Wikipedia also lists 116 B-228s. | |||
| Aero L-29 Delfín | Jet trainer | 400 | L-39 | 400 per Wikipedia. | ||
| Lavochkin La-7 | Fighter | 56 | 1945– | 56 Soviet-built. | ||
| Consolidated Liberator GR V and C VI | Maritime patrol and transport | 1943– | RAF aircraft flown by No. 311 Squadron; brought to Czechoslovakia in 1945. | |||
| Ilyushin Il-2 | Ground attack | 33 | 1945– | 33 with the 3rd Ground Attack Regiment on formation in January 1945. | ||
| Aero Ab-11 | Reconnaissance biplane |
Where the Czech Air Force flies from
Black pins are active bases, hollow pins the ones that have closed. From April 2026 to autumn 2028 Čáslav’s runway is being rebuilt, so its Gripens and the NATO alert fly from Pardubice and its L-159s from Náměšť. The Cold War fighter regiments at Žatec, Bechyně, Plzeň-Líně and České Budějovice were disbanded between 1991 and 1994. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
| Base | ICAO | Status | Runway | Units and aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ČáslavCentral Bohemian Region (Středočeský kraj) | LKCV | Active | 13/312,400 mconcrete12/301,309 mgrass (not maintained in winter) |
|
| Náměšť nad OslavouVysočina Region (Kraj Vysočina) | LKNA | Active | 12/302,400 mconcrete |
|
| Přerov-BochořOlomouc Region (Olomoucký kraj) | Active |
|
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| PardubicePardubice Region (Pardubický kraj) | LKPD | Active | 09/272,500 mconcrete |
|
| Prague-KbelyPrague (Hlavní město Praha) | LKKB | Active | 06/242,000 mcomposite asphalt |
|
| České BudějoviceSouth Bohemian Region (Jihočeský kraj) | LKCS | Closed 2005 | 09/272,500 mconcrete | |
| Hradec KrálovéHradec Králové Region (Královéhradecký kraj) | Closed 2003 | |||
| Plzeň-LíněPlzeň Region (Plzeňský kraj) | Closed 1994 | |||
| ŽatecÚstí nad Labem Region (Ústecký kraj) | Closed 1993 |
|
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| BechyněSouth Bohemian Region (Jihočeský kraj) | Closed 1993 |
No air base matches that search.
Who is stationed where in the Czech Air Force
Flying units by base, current units first. Czech squadrons take three-digit numbers from their base — 211 and 212 at the 21st, 221 and 222 at the 22nd, 241 to 243 at the 24th — and the Cold War regiments appear under the airfields they flew from. Where sources disagree on a date or a unit, the entry says so.
- 211th Tactical Squadron (211. taktická letka)Fighter squadron · active
- JAS-39C/D Gripen, MiG-21MFN (to July 2005)
- 212th Tactical Squadron (212. taktická letka)Light combat squadron · active
- Aero L-159A ALCA, L-159T1/T2
- 41st Fighter Squadron (41. stíhací letka)1999–2003
- MiG-21MF/MFN
- 28th Fighter-Bomber Regiment “Těšínský” (28. stíhací bombardovací letecký pluk)1958–1994
- MiG-15, Su-7BM/BKL, MiG-23BN
- 6th Fighter Regiment and 2nd Aviation Training Regiment1955–1957
- MiG-15, MiG-15UTI
- 221st Helicopter Squadron (221. vrtulníková letka)Attack and multirole helicopter squadron · active
- AH-1Z Viper, UH-1Y Venom, Mi-24V/Mi-35 (to 2023)
- 222nd Helicopter Squadron (222. vrtulníková letka)Transport helicopter squadron · active
- Mi-171Š
- 212th Tactical Squadron detachmentLight combat squadron (temporary) · active
- Aero L-159 ALCA
- 20th Fighter Regiment “Biskajský” (20. stíhací letecký pluk)1960–2013
- MiG-15, Su-7, Su-22, Su-25, L-29 Delfín, L-39ZA Albatros, L-159 ALCA
- 241st Transport Squadron (241. dopravní letka)VIP and government transport squadron · active
- Airbus A319CJ (2)
- 242nd Transport and Special Squadron (242. transportní a speciální letka)Tactical transport and special-mission squadron · active
- CASA C-295M (4) and C-295MW (2), Let L-410UVP/UVP-E (4) and L-410FG (2)
- 243rd Helicopter Squadron (243. vrtulníková letka)Utility and search and rescue helicopter squadron · active
- PZL W-3A Sokol, Mi-17
- 4th and 6th Air Regiments1938–1939
- Avia B-534, Bomber and reconnaissance types (UNVERIFIED)
- Yak-40 VIP jets1981–2020
- Yakovlev Yak-40 (2)
- Mi-8S salon helicopters1989–2025
- Mi-8S
- 211th Tactical Squadron (deployed)Fighter squadron (temporary) · active
- JAS-39C/D Gripen
- Centre of Aviation Training (Centrum leteckého výcviku), LOM PRAHAMilitary pilot training centre (state enterprise) · active
- Aero L-39NG Skyfox (6; 8 planned), Zlín Z-143LSi and Z-242L (8 ordered), Let L-410UVP-T (1), Aero L-39C Albatros (to 2 September 2026)
- 14th Logistic Support Regiment, with the 141st Supply BattalionLogistic support regiment · active
- 34th Special Aviation Base (34. základna speciálního letectva), until 2000 the 34th Training Air Base1995–2003
- L-29 Delfín, L-39 Albatros
- Cold War jet regiments1950–1995
- MiG-15, MiG-19, MiG-21 (MA, MF and reconnaissance versions), Su-25K, L-39ZA
- Centre of Aviation Training helicopter element, LOM PRAHAMilitary helicopter pilot training (state enterprise) · active
- Mi-17, Enstrom 480B-G
- 533rd Unmanned Systems Battalion and other army unitsArmy garrison (planned) · active
- 23rd Helicopter Air Force Base “Edvard Beneš” (23. základna vrtulníkového letectva)
- Mi-171Š
- 82nd Fighter Regiment and 4th Independent Fighter Squadron
- MiG-21MF, MiG-21UM, L-39ZA Albatros
No unit matches that search.
Czech Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
30 October: the Aviation Corps is created. November: the airfield at Prague-Kbely is set up; the first Czechoslovak aircraft fly there in December.
Capt. Vilém Stanovský flies an Aero Ab-11 some 15,000 km through 23 countries.
23 September: the air force mobilises with about 1,300 aircraft; after Munich it never fights.
March: the Luftwaffe confiscates every Czechoslovak military aircraft; airmen escape to Poland and France.
10 July: No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron forms at Duxford, the first RAF squadron crewed by foreign nationals; 311, 312 and later 313 follow.
17 September: a Czechoslovak fighter regiment arrives in the Slovak National Uprising with 22 La-5FNs, now Air Force Day.
14 April: the 1st Czechoslovak Mixed Air Division flies its first combat mission. 31 August: No. 310 Squadron lands at Prague-Ruzyně.
After the February coup former RAF airmen are purged; by 1950 only 13 remain in the forces, all grounded. The Spitfires are sold to Israel.
10 March: Capt. Jaroslav Šrámek’s MiG-15 shoots down a US F-84 near Merklín on the Bavarian border.
4 November: first flight of the L-39 Albatros, later the standard Warsaw Pact jet trainer.
24 August: the first Mi-24s reach Prostějov.
1 January: Czechoslovakia splits; the Czech Air Force takes two-thirds of the aircraft and half of the MiG-29s.
12 March: the Czech Republic joins NATO and Čáslav joins the NATO air defence system.
10 April: first L-159 delivered. December: the Su-25 is retired, the Su-22 following in 2002.
18 April: the first leased Gripen lands at Čáslav; the MiG-21 retires.
25 January: Task Force Hippo’s Mi-171Sh helicopters enter ISAF operations in Afghanistan. The 211th Squadron becomes a full NATO Tiger member.
29 January: 24 F-35As signed. March: the last Mi-35s retire and go to Ukraine. 13 June: the last of 12 H-1 helicopters arrives.
9 July: Brig. Gen. Petr Tománek takes command. 16 July: first C-390 handed over at Kbely.
Every war the Czech Air Force and its forerunners have fought
Sorties and losses where the record gives them, and an honest blank where it does not.
- Munich crisis and German occupation 1938–1939 Mobilised against Germany in September 1938 but never ordered to fight; disarmed when Germany occupied Bohemia and Moravia in March 1939
- Battle of France 1940 Czechoslovak pilots who had escaped in 1939 flew with French fighter and bomber units
- Second World War with the Royal Air Force 1940–1945 Fighter squadrons 310, 312 and 313 flew Hurricanes and Spitfires from the Battle of Britain to 1945; 311 flew Wellingtons with Bomber Command and then Liberators with Coastal Command
- Slovak National Uprising 1944 Flew air cover, reconnaissance and ground attack for the insurgents from inside the uprising’s territory
- Moravian-Ostrava Offensive 1945 Fighter cover and ground attack for the Soviet 38th Army and the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps, as part of the Soviet 8th Air Army
Czech Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Czech Air Force and the aircraft it flies. This list refreshes itself — new Afterburner stories appear here automatically.
Everything people ask about the Czech Air Force
What is the Czech Air Force called in Czech?
What fighter jets does the Czech Air Force fly?
How many F-35s is the Czech Republic buying and when do they arrive?
Why does the Czech Republic lease its Gripens rather than own them?
What happened to the Czech MiG-21s and MiG-29s?
What is the L-159 and what will happen to it?
Did Czechoslovak pilots fly in the RAF?
What happened to the Czechoslovak RAF pilots after 1948?
Has a Czechoslovak pilot ever shot down a jet?
Which helicopters does the Czech Air Force fly?
Read the aircraft the Czech Air Force flew
Every type with a page in the Book of Beasts, in service first, then by the year it left the fleet.
Every fact, checked
- Armáda ČR: Velitelství Vzdušných sil AČROfficial name; commander Brig. Gen. Petr Tománek; bases and regiments; tasks; Baltic, Iceland and Sinai commitments.
- CZDefence: Do čela Vzdušných sil AČR nastupuje generál Tománek (9 July 2026)Change of command 9 July 2026; Čepelka in command 1 November 2022 – 9 July 2026.
- VHU Praha: V Británii bojovali za Československo. A to je pak pronásledovaloNearly 2,500 airmen; 529 killed or missing; 1,359 returned; 13 left by 1950; over 400 emigrated; persecution and rehabilitation.
- Ministerstvo obrany, Válečné hroby: Čs. letci ve Slovenském národním povstání22 La-5FN arrived 17 September 1944; 561 sorties; 10 victories; losses; withdrawal 25 October 1944.
- Ministerstvo obrany, Válečné hroby: Padlí 1. čs. smíšené letecké divize v SSSRFormed 25 January 1945 at Przemyśl; La-5FN and Il-2 regiments; first combat 14 April 1945; six killed.
- 100+1 zahraniční zajímavost: Souboj nad železnou oponou10 March 1953; Šrámek and Forst; US pilot Warren Brown; competing claims.
- Armáda ČR: Za 20 let služby nalétaly gripeny 38 tisíc hodin (21 April 2025)14 Gripens (12 + 2); first arrival 18 April 2005; 38,000 hours; Baltic and Iceland missions.
- Echo24: O pronájmu gripenů se jedná dlouho (9 April 2025)Proposed extension to 2035 with 12 aircraft for 16.65 billion koruna.
- iROZHLAS: Obrana prodloužila pronájem švédských gripenů do roku 2035Signed 1 September 2025; 10 + 2 aircraft; 16.695 billion koruna plus 4.037 billion upgrade.
- Ministerstvo obrany: Vláda podpořila pokračování pronájmu stíhaček JAS-39 Gripen do roku 2035 (25 June 2025)Government approval; SEK 6.012 billion lease and SEK 1.454 billion upgrade.
- Ministerstvo obrany: Otázky a odpovědi k pořízení 24 letounů 5. generaceGovernment approval 27 September 2023; 150 billion koruna; delivery schedule; Čáslav; Cameri maintenance.
- iROZHLAS: Černochová a americký velvyslanec podepsali nákup stíhaček F-35 (29 January 2024)Signed 29 January 2024; 24 aircraft; 150 billion koruna; first aircraft in 2031.
- Ministerstvo obrany: Základní informace k rozpočtu MO na rok 2026 (2 February 2026)154.791 billion koruna ministry chapter; 184.694 billion total; 2.06–2.1 per cent of GDP; 21 billion cut.
- iROZHLAS: Česko příští rok splní dvě procenta HDP na obranu, slíbil Zůna (19 August 2026)191 billion koruna planned for 2027; 2026 about 1.8 per cent of GDP.
- iROZHLAS: Zůna: Za nižší výdaje Česka na obranu může nová metodika NATO (28 April 2026)2024 about 1.97–2.0 per cent; 2025 1.78–1.85 per cent under NATO’s revised method.
- Armáda ČR: Embraer oficiálně předal první C-390 Millennium českým vzdušným silám (16 July 2026)Handover at Kbely 16 July 2026; contract 25 October 2024, 11.3 billion koruna; second aircraft December 2027.
- Ministerstvo obrany: Vojenské letectvo posílí dva transportní letouny Embraer C-390 (2 October 2024)Two aircraft, 11.3 billion koruna; industrial cooperation with Aero Vodochody and LOM Praha.
- Armáda ČR: V ČR už jsou všechny vrtulníky H-1, poslední dva přiletěly dnes (13 June 2024)8 UH-1Y and 4 AH-1Z; contract 12 December 2019; replacing the Mi-24/35; eight more donated.
- CZDefence: Modernizace vrtulníků H-1 darovaných z USA bude stát 8,1 miliardy (20 July 2024)Six AH-1Z and two UH-1Y donated; 8.128 billion koruna upgrade; USD 300 million compensation.
- CZDefence: Konec vrtulníkové legendy Mi-24/35 v AČRFarewell 14 October 2023; first Mi-24D 24 August 1978 at Prostějov; fleet counts; Afghan training 2008–2019.
- Hospodářské noviny: Česká armáda darovala Ukrajině svoje poslední bitevníky Mi-35 (22 March 2024)Last Mi-35s retired early March 2024 and passed to Ukraine.
- Echo24: Armáda se zbaví bitevníků L-159 (17 September 2023)L-159 to serve until 2035; President Pavel’s April 2023 suggestion.
- INFO.CZ: Vláda stopla letouny L-159 pro Ukrajinu (19 January 2026)Government refused to transfer four L-159s; fleet 16 A, 5 T1+, 3 T2. Commentary; used for the facts only.
- 21. základna taktického letectva: 212. letka L-159L-159 fully in service 19 December 2001; squadron history; national air defence support since 2008.
- 21. základna taktického letectva: 211. taktická letkaAbout 170 personnel and 20 pilots; roles.
- 21. základna taktického letectva: Historie základnyČáslav built 1952–54; Su-7 from 1964; MiG-23 from 1977; NATO air defence 12 March 1999; Gripen April 2005.
- NATO Tiger Association: 211 Taktická LetkaHonorary member 1993; full member and Silver Tiger 2010; Gripen from July 2005.
- Ministerstvo obrany: Na těchto strojích bude CLV LOM PRAHA cvičit nové piloty vzdušných sil (29 August 2025)Four L-39 Skyfox in service, four more under consideration; Zlín Z-242L and Z-143LSi replace Z-142C.
- VHU Praha: Letecké muzeum Kbely58th season from 25 April 2026; Aero Ab-11 flight of 1926.
- 24. základna dopravního letectva: HistorieKbely founded November 1918; transport history; base named 1 July 2003; A319CJ 30 January 2007.
- Zahraniční mise AČR: České gripeny budou počtvrté střežit nebe nad Islandem (7 March 2025)Iceland 2014, 2015, 2016 and May 2025; Baltic 2009, 2012, 2019, 2022; first TACEVAL.
- Czech Air Force (czechairforce.com): České Gripeny se v dubnu znovu vrátí do Pobaltí (10 January 2022)2022 Šiauliai mission 1 April – 31 July; earlier missions with dates, aircraft and personnel.
- Czech Air Force: Prvních 1.000 letových hodin lomáckých Skyfoxů v CLV Pardubice (27 July 2026)Six L-39NG in service, eight planned; 1,000 hours on 20 July 2026.
- Czech Air Force: Poslední let: Albatrosy pardubického CLV ukončily provoz (14 September 2026)Eight L-39C from April 2004; loss of 0440 on 12 July 2010; last flight 2 September 2026; 23,600 hours.
- CzechAirForce.com: Vládní Challenger obohatil sbírky kbelského leteckého muzea (18 May 2023)CL-601 5105 (ex OK-BYA): service 18 September 1992 to 16 August 2022, 7,692 hours, 5,456 landings.
- CzechAirForce.com: Poslední mohykáni končí, armáda se rozloučila s letouny Jak-40 (3 September 2020)Last Yak-40 flight 2 September 2020; State Air Service dissolved 31 December 1998.
- AIP Czech Republic (eAIP), AD 2 LKCV Čáslav (effective 9 July 2026)Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic; ARP 495622.43N 0152254.96E, elevation 793.5 ft (241.9 m), RWY 13/31 2,400 x 60 m concrete, RWY 12/30 1,309 m grass; operator the Armed Forces.
- AIP Czech Republic (eAIP), AD 2 LKNA Náměšť (effective 3 September 2026)ARP 490958.35N 0160727.78E, elevation 1,547 ft (471.5 m), RWY 12/30 2,400 x 45 m concrete.
- AIP Czech Republic (eAIP), AD 2 LKKB Praha/Kbely (effective 3 September 2026)ARP 500716.92N 0143237.10E, elevation 939 ft (286 m), RWY 06/24 2,000 x 49 m composite asphalt.
- AIP Czech Republic (eAIP), AD 2 LKPD Pardubice (effective 3 September 2026)Military aerodrome with civil traffic; ARP 500048.45N 0154418.85E, elevation 741 ft (226 m), RWY 09/27 2,500 x 75 m concrete.
- AIP Czech Republic (eAIP), AD 2 LKCS České Budějovice (effective 6 August 2026)ARP 48°56’47″N 014°25’39″E, elevation 1,417 ft (432 m), RWY 09/27 2,500 x 45 m concrete.
- 21. základna taktického letectva: Historie základnyOfficial base history 1952–2005: regiments, types, redesignations, NATINADS 12 March 1999, Gripen alert 1 July 2005.
- 21. základna taktického letectva Čáslav (official site)Current squadrons; relocation to Pardubice and Náměšť for 2026–2028.
- 21. základna taktického letectva: 211. taktická letkaAbout 170 personnel including some 20 fighter pilots.
- Do armády (Czech Army recruitment): 21. základna taktického letectvaSquadrons 211–217 and their tasks; L-159A/T1/T2.
- Do armády: 22. základna vrtulníkového letectvaSquadrons 221–226; 221st in NATO Tiger Association since 2001.
- Do armády: 24. základna dopravního letectvaSquadrons 241–243 and their aircraft.
- 22. základna vrtulníkového letectva: O základněGovernment approval 20 June 1956; 20th regiment moved in 14 January 1960; honorific 1990; merger December 2013; types flown.
- Armáda ČR: Uplynulo 60 let od vzniku stíhacího leteckého pluku (2 October 2016)60th anniversary; nearly 20,000 visitors at the open day.
- Ministerstvo obrany: Ve vzduchu i na zemi … Centrum leteckého výcviku už 20 let (4 April 2024)Nearly 400 Czech and over 200 foreign pilots trained; 94,000 hours; L-39NG and F-35 training ahead.
- Správa letiště Pardubice: O nás34th Special Aviation Base dissolved 30 November 2003; administration from 1 December 2003; CLV from 1 April 2004.
- Armáda ČR: Plánované ukončení vojenského leteckého provozu na letišti v Přerově bylo zahájeno (25 September 2013)Nine Mi-171Š to Náměšť on 24 September 2013; 16 at the base.
- Armáda ČR: Armáda ČR se vrací na letiště v Přerově (22 July 2024)Up to 600 soldiers within six years, about 1,200 after 2035; 533rd Unmanned Systems Battalion; LOM PRAHA since 2014.
- Hanácká Drbna: Dvě a půl miliardy pro Bochoř (22 July 2024)Opened December 1938; 2.5 billion koruna over seven years; 1,400 soldiers by 2035.
- Pardubický deník: Vrtulníková flotila LOM Praha se natrvalo přesunula z Pardubic do Bochoře (26 January 2026)Mi-17 and Enstrom 480B-G; five aircraft; 2,800 hours a year; 1,500 soldiers by 2030–2035.
- Obec Planá: Letiště PlanáConstruction from 15 December 1932; wartime Fi 156 and Fw 190 assembly; 1st Fighter Regiment from 1957, disbanded 31 December 1994.
- Fortifikace.net: Letiště Hradec Králové – FRNS (survey 23 June 2005)1973 modernisation; army left in 2000.
- Obec Věkoše (local history site): Vývoj letištěFirst hangar 24 August 1930; 30th regiment 1 November 1959 to 24 June 1985; 47th regiment to 1993; army withdrew 2003; CIAF.
- Žatecký a lounský deník: Bývalé vojenské letiště u Žatce bude mít památník (14 July 2022)Me 262 in 1945; 1948 flights to Israel and the B-17 raid on Cairo; last aircraft November 1993; Triangle zone 300 ha.
- vrtulnik.cz: 11. stíhací letecký pluk VÚ 1610 ŽatecSpecialist site: formation 1951, types and dates, disbandment 31 December 1993, distribution of aircraft.
- Classic Trainers: Historie letiště Plzeň-Líně5th Fighter Regiment 1952–1991; 11th Helicopter Regiment 1974; last Mi-24V November 1994; civil from 1 December 2000.
- Táborský deník: Z historie letiště v Bechyni (31 December 2019)Runway from 16 May 1953; flying from December 1954; MiG-19 1959, MiG-21 1965; units deactivated 1993.
- ČT24: Česko se dál připravuje na F-35, základnu v Čáslavi čeká modernizace (26 January 2026)24 F-35s; runway works from spring 2026; campus from 2028; infrastructure ready by 2031.
- CzechAirForce.com: Čáslavská základna projde v příštích letech největší proměnou ve své historii (7 February 2026)5.33 billion koruna; up to 1.6 billion NATO refund; campus 2028–2030; first F-35As by autumn 2031. Specialist site.
- ČTK / ČeskéNoviny.cz: Letouny JAS-39 Gripen se dnes začaly přesouvat z čáslavské základny do Pardubic (10 March 2026)Gripens to Pardubice, L-159 to Náměšť; operations from 1 April 2026; works to autumn 2028; HOCHTIEF-led consortium.
- Kutnohorský deník: Armáda přesunula stíhačky z Čáslavi (1 April 2026)Move completed; 24/7 airspace protection unchanged.
- Armáda ČR: V ČR už jsou všechny vrtulníky H-1, poslední dva přilétly dnes (13 June 2024)8 UH-1Y and 4 AH-1Z delivered; 8 more donated by the US.
- iROZHLAS: Armáda se po 45 letech loučí s vrtulníky Mi-24/35 (6 June 2023)Last live firing by the 221st squadron.
- iROZHLAS: V Náměšti přistál transportní letoun americké armády. Přivezl vrtulníky Viper (26 July 2023)First two AH-1Z delivered by C-17 to Náměšť.
- Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic: Baltic Air Policing2009 and 2012 Baltic, 2014–2016 Iceland, 2019 Ämari with five Gripens and up to 95 people.
- Do armády: Litva2022 Enhanced Air Policing from Šiauliai; nearly 400 soldiers across all rotations.
- CzechAirForce.com: České Gripeny se v dubnu znovu vrátí do Pobaltí (2022)2022 rotation 1 April to 31 July at Šiauliai, five Gripens, about 95 people; list of seven rotations. Specialist site.
- CzechAirForce.com: MiG-21 – Poslední z mnoha, 1. díl (30 July 2025)MiG-21R with the 28th Regiment from May 1993; 41st Squadron renumbered 211th in December 2003; dates the 3008/4127 crash to 10 October 2000.
- CzechAirForce.com: MiG-21 – Poslední z mnoha, 3. díl (1 September 2025)Last MiG-21s leave Čáslav 12 July 2005; 466 operated, 107 destroyed, 42 Czech pilots and one Libyan killed.
- vrtulnik.cz: 28. stíhací bombardovací letecký plukRegiment formed 1 October 1958, commanders, helicopters; disbanded 31 December 1994.
- CzechAirForce.com: JAS-39 Gripen – 20 let ochráncem (nejen) českého nebe, 1. díl (13 April 2025)Lease of 14 June 2004, deliveries with serials, QRA handover 1 July 2005, first scramble 24 August 2005, deployment table, Tiger membership 2008/2010.
- CzechAirForce.com: JAS-39 Gripen – 20 let ochráncem (nejen) českého nebe, 6. díl (1 July 2026)2025: alpha scramble 12 April, Iceland 22 May–7 July, lease signed 1 September, Tiger Meet at Beja.
- CzechAirForce.com: Vybrán zhotovitel projektové dokumentace Campusu F-35 v Čáslavi (12 May 2025)Design contract of 11 April 2025, 605 million koruna; shelters, 13 m noise embankments; first F-35A end of 2031.
- 22. základna vrtulníkového letectva: O násOfficial: base formed 1 December 2013 at Sedlec, Vícenice; more than 1,000 people.
- CzechAirForce.com: Náměšťská premiéra: vrtulníky Venom poprvé v zahraniční operaci (28 March 2026)Specialist site: two UH-1Y (0491, 0495) arrived 18 March 2026.
- CzechAirForce.com: Vipery proti Šáhidům – misi v Polsku zahájila 6. Heli Unit AČR (24 July 2026)Specialist site: two AH-1Z from July 2026 near the Belarusian border; stayed in Poland during the grounding.
- iROZHLAS: V Náměšti nad Oslavou se zřítil armádní vrtulník s pěti vojáky na palubě (23 July 2026)One killed, four injured; others treated for smoke; H-1 fleet grounded.
- iROZHLAS: Vrtulníky Viper a Venom se vrací do vzduchu. Po nehodě prošly kontrolou (26 August 2026)Return to flight 26 August 2026; commission still weighing several causes; military police case.
- CzechAirForce.com: Vrtulníková základna v Náměšti projde výraznou modernizací (27 September 2023)Specialist site: MoD study August 2023; runway described as 2,440 x 45 m; 15.5 m difference between thresholds; capacity targets; ready by 2030.
- 24. základna dopravního letectva: Hlavní funkcionářiCommander Brig. Gen. Jaroslav Falta (no appointment date given).
- CzechAirForce.com: Kbelské salóny Mi-8S ukončí provoz v letech 2023-25 (8 April 2021)Mi-8S from January 1989; Cernan accident 28 October 2001; icing incident 14 December 2016.
- CzechAirForce.com: Ministerstvo obrany zrušilo modernizaci vrtulníků W-3A Sokol (11 February 2024)11 Sokols for ten MiG-29s; bid 850 million vs 250 million estimate; retirement 31 December 2028.
- CzechAirForce.com: Vrtulník W-3A Sokol “0718” dosáhl rekordního náletu 5000 hodin (12 July 2018)Sokols from end of 1996; 1997 floods; rescue fleet 27,300 hours and 11,600 patients; 0718 accident 24 September 2002.
- CzechAirForce.com: Letošní požár v Českém Švýcarsku a malé ohlédnutí za nasazením vrtulníků AČR (20 June 2026)2–5 May 2026: 596 drops, 1,023 tonnes of water, nearly 60 hours.
- Armáda ČR: Embraer oficiálně předal první C-390 Millennium českým vzdušným silám (16 July 2026)Handover at Kbely; contract 25 October 2024, 11.3 billion koruna; source of both quotes.
- CzechAirForce.com: Začíná nová kapitola dopravního letectva, AČR převzala první C-390 Millennium (20 July 2026)Serial 0520; left Brazil 4 July 2026; second aircraft December 2027. Specialist site.
- Správa letiště Pardubice má nového velitele (30 June 2026)Lt. Col. Petr Dřevecký succeeds Lt. Col. Radoslav Matula.
- Czech Air Force: České Gripeny chránily polské nebe při ruských dronových úderech na Ukrajinu (27 September 2026)Alpha scrambles from Pardubice on 17 and 24 September 2026.
- Czech Air Force: Rodina pardubických Skyfoxů a Zlínků se postupně rozrůstá (11 February 2026)Eight Z-143LSi/Z-242L for 86.8 million koruna, ordered December 2024; first delivered 22 October 2025.
- Czech Air Force: Pardubické CLV pokračuje v modernizaci své flotily, na řadě je Turbolet (5 July 2026)L-410NG ordered 12 June 2026 for 243.9 million koruna, delivery by March 2027.
- Czech Air Force: “Dva roky prázdnin” – Gripeny s Alkami přelétly kvůli výluce na záložní letiště (2 April 2026)First five Gripens on 10 March 2026; 211th Squadron uses the old 4th Regiment dispersal; 30th Regiment L-39ZA and Su-25K; 34th base from 1995.
- Czech Air Force: Tradiční Aviatická pouť pokračuje v Hradci Králové (22 April 2026)Show moved because of the Gripen deployment; organisers told the airfield was unavailable for at least two years.
- OurAirports airport database (public domain)
Figures verified 2026-09-29. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
Photographs: Photo: Milan Nykodym from Kutna Hora, Czech Republic / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Milan Nykodym / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Perriquito / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Boevaya mashina / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Nick / from United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Julian Herzog (Website) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: simon butler from halesowen, uk / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Kozuch / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Oren Rozen / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Aero Vodochody / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: RadekS / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: AlfvanBeem / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · Photo (Hungarian MiG-29 shown): Rob Schleiffert from Holland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Andrew Thomas from Shrewsbury, UK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Rob Schleiffert from Holland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Alex Beltyukov / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo (MiG-19 in other markings shown): Varga Attila / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo (Polish-built MiG-17 shown): Lim-6, Polish Aviation Museum. Igor123121 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo (Polish-built MiG-15 shown): Lim-2. Alan Wilson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo (Il-28 in other markings shown): Varga Attila / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: TunaFish Spotting / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Arpingstone / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Jim van de Burgt from Wijk bij Duurstede, Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · Photo (An-26 in other markings shown): Steelhead 2010 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo (Me 262 shown): Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: André Gerwing / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Royal Air Force official photographer / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Daventry B J (Mr), Royal Air Force official photographer / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo (RAF Liberator shown): 1st Lt. Ellen Brabo, Battle Group Poland / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Alan Wilson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)