The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Parade flypast at Windsor on May 19th
included a formation of 27 Hawks spelling E II R, the Queen’s cipher.
The US Navy T-45 fleet has exceeded 1 million flying hours.
The Hawk continues to earn money. Recent BAES contracts include £1.6bn to support future aircrew training in Saudi Arabia, £23.8 m for one year’s support and maintenance of the RAF TMk1 fleet, and £8.3m to support the Canadian NATO flying training operation.
Australia's Hawk 127 lead-in fighter trainers are to be upgraded to a configuration based on the new-generation RAF T2 OC2 software, in an initial A$25 million contract with BAES. Upgrading the Hawk 127 fleet will allow students to progress to the RAAF Boeing F/A-18 Hornet and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Australian industry will be responsible for construction of simulator facilities, modification of the Hawk fleet, and in-service support of equipment.
India is close to ordering a further 20 Hawks 132s to re-equip the Indian Air Force Surya Kiran aerobatic display team which currently uses HJT-16 Kiran jet trainers.
BAES has demonstrated a package of upgrade options to current Hawk users. Unveiled during a Hawk User Group meeting the proposals covered an extensive modernisation of pre-100-series aircraft, and capability enhancements to more recent production examples. The package proposed for "short-nosed" Hawks includes updating their analogue cockpits to introduce two multifunction displays and a head-up display. Operators of 100- and 200-series aircraft can select elements from South Africa's Hawk 120 and the UK's new Hawk 128, such as hands-on-throttle-and-stick controls, new mission computers and embedded simulation. Enhancements are also proposed to the Adour engine, aircraft structure, systems and ground-based training equipment. Modifications will be quick, simple and cheap, a full upgrade package costing well under £5 million per aircraft with the work being carried out largely during a scheduled period of major maintenance.
The United Arab Emirates recently selected the Alenia Aermacchi
M-346 advanced jet trainer rather than new Hawks - you can’t win them
all.