The South African Air Force (SAAF) formally received its first batch of eleven Hawk Mk.120s at Makhado Air Force Base close to South Africa's northern border. Also inaugurated there was a new Hawk Training Centre at 85 Combat Flying School which operates the Hawks. Co-located is 2 Squadron, the SAAF's fighter unit due to receive Gripens. The total SAAF Hawk order is for 24 Mk.120s. In December four Mk.120s made the type's public debut at Cape Town's Africa Aerospace & Defence 2006 exhibition at Ysterplaat Air Force Base. The two Hawks were flown by SAAF test pilots Major Jannie Scott and Capt Peter Chaplain.
    BAES has delivered the 200th T-45 Goshawk fuselage and wing to Boeing, St Louis. The 200th aircraft is scheduled for delivery to the USN in March. Orders to date are for 211 aircraft with a further 12 expected to be ordered in 2007, securing production until mid 2009.
    The next generation of flight operation software, OFP4 (Operational Flight Programme 4) is currently being evaluated in Hawk Mk.128 development aircraft ZJ951. On a recent flight to the UAE the system performed flawlessly. This is a very important step towards the production standard OFP5.
    The first of 66 Hawk AJTs (HT001) for India has flown at Warton with CTP Keith Dennison at the controls. The first 24 are being built at Brough and 42 are to be manufactured under licence in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd at Bangalore. Delivery of fuselages, 1,500 tonnes of raw materials, 3,500 tools and 15 million components is well under way. The first, UK built, aircraft will be delivered to India in September 2007 and already 40 Indian Air Force pilots have completed interim pilot training provided by BAES at RAF Valley.