The uses to which the Royal Navy’s fourteen TMk1 and TMk1A Hawks are put are less well known than those in the RAF. Twelve are flown by the Fleet Requirements Air Directional Unit (FRADU) at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose and the remaining two are with the Naval Flying Standards Flight - Fixed Wing (NFSF) at RNAS Yeovilton.
    FRADU is managed and run by civilian manned Serco Defence and Aerospace using Hawks leased from the RAF. The main task for the FRADU Hawks is to provide training to the fleet in the form of simulated attacks against ships as either missiles or strike aircraft. A missile simulation is flown in conjunction with Dassault Falcon 20s of Cobham Aviation. Hawks are flown in close formation with the Falcon until they are ‘launched’ when they accelerate away flying the profile of the subject missile.
    Hawks also cover a biannual multi-national maritime collective training exercise from RAF Kinloss and a warfare officer course off Gibraltar. FRADU Hawks also provide fighter evasion training for all RN helicopter crews, airborne fighter controller training for Sea King observers and also for students at the Royal Navy School of Fighter Control (RNSFC) at RNAS Yeovilton.
    The NFSF Hawks are used for fast jet continuation training, familiarisation and conversion of rotary wing aircrew to fast jets. Successful candidates progress to RAF Valley for advanced flying training. NFSF Hawks also work with the RNSFC and assist the FRADU in warship training. Close air support training assistance is provided to the Army, the Royal Marines, the Special Air Services (SAS) and the Special Boat Service (SBS).
    Did you know that the current leader of the Red Arrows is Wing Commander Jas Hawker and that the first woman pilot to join the Reds is Flt Lt Kirsty Moore?