A production run of 30 aircraft were built for the Finnish Air Force in the early 1980s, and although the type was not exported, it formed the basis of the turboprop-powered Aermacchi M-290 RediGO.

Valmet received an order from the Finnish Air Force for further development of the LEKO-70 (Lentokone (Aeroplane) 1970) in March 1973.

It is powered by a single 200 hp (149 kW) Lycoming O-360 flat-four piston engine driving a two-bladed propeller.

The prototype (OH-VBB), powered by a 360 shp (268 kW) Allison 250 turboprop engine, made its first flight on 12 February 1985, piloted by Paavo Janhunen.

[10] The prototype was destroyed in an accident on 24 April that year, killing the pilot Paavo Janhunen and the flight observer.