The disassembled L-39 light combat jet after being offloaded from a freight truck in Ukraine. (Lithuanian MoD)

Lithuania has successfully transferred an Aero Vodochody L-39ZA Albatros light strike jet to Ukraine, transporting the aircraft in the back of a freight lorry.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the delivery on 20 April, saying the single-engined jet had been transferred as part of a wider military aid package to Kyiv.

Once assembled and tested, the L-39ZA will join the Ukrainian Air Force, which already operates the type as a light fighter and ground attack platform. The L-39 is equipped with a centreline single 23 mm GSh-23 two-barrel gun, and can carry an assortment of bombs and rockets on four underwing hardpoints. It can also carry AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles on its outboard weapons pylons.

Türkiye has placed four new contracts for domestically developed aircraft, including the first for the Hürjet Block 1 jet trainer (pictured here) and for the T625 Gökbey helicopter. (Turkish Aerospace)

Türkiye has placed its first contracts for the domestically developed Hürjet jet trainer aircraft and Gökbey helicopter.

A signature ceremony for these and two other manned aerial platforms was held with participants from Turkish Aerospace (TA), the Defence Industry Agency of Türkiye (SSB), the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and the Ministry the Interior on 18 April.

The contract for the procurement of 12 additional Hürjet advanced jet trainer aircraft will see these new Block 1 aircraft supplement four Block 0 planes ordered in December 2022. The Hürjet will replace the Northrop T-38 Talon jet trainer in Turkish Air Force (TuAF) service, and the Northrop NF-5 Freedom Fighter used by TuAF demonstration team Türk Yıldızları.

For the Gökbey, 20 of the T625 helicopters were ordered. Of these, seven are for Land Forces Command, four are for the TuAF, three are for the Gendarmarie, three are for the coastguard, and three are for the Turkish police service.

Nigeria is to receive 24 M-346 aircraft that will be used in both the trainer and combat roles. While Leonardo offers both the M-346FA and M-346FT (pictured) combat versions of the aircraft, all official announcements on the Nigerian deal by the NAF and/or Leonardo to date have referred only to the baseline M-346 advanced jet trainer that comes with a secondary combat capability. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

Leonardo has for the first time disclosed that it has been contracted to deliver its M-346 to Nigeria, telling Janes on 19 April that it recently confirmed its commitment to a timely delivery of the “fighter aircraft” to the West African country.

The Italian company's confirmation came in response to a post on the Nigerian Air Force's (NAF's) official Facebook account, in which it said it is to receive 24 M-346 fighter aircraft, with the first six expected to arrive before the end of 2024 and the remainder to follow in further tranches of six.