Hawk

The Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer is the latest version of the world’s most successful advanced jet training aircraft, outperforming and outselling all other aircraft in its class. Over 900 Hawk aircraft are in operational service with or have been ordered by 19 customers world-wide, and nearly 2 million flying hours have been logged on the type.

The Hawk’s primary site is at Brough in East Yorkshire, which boasts a full range of capabilities including design, engineering, manufacture, testing and in-service support. The aircraft are designed, developed and manufactured through to final assembly, and are then transferred by road to Warton in Lancashire where flight- testing takes place.

The most recent Hawk is the new Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) which has been developed to provide training for future pilots of 4th and 5th Generation aircraft such as Typhoon, F-35 Lightning II and F18 to name just a few.

The Hawk continues to be the most capable and cost-effective advanced jet trainer – in service, in production and in demand.

AIRCRAFT FACTS

The Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer is a new aircraft, which has encapsulated 30 years of experience with new systems to provide state-of-the-art training for the 21st Century.

Principal Features

• Three, full colour, Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays (AMLCD), each controlled by 'soft keys', and each able to display the full range of navigation, sensor, weapons and systems data
• Cockpit lighting fully compatible with the use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG), for enhanced situational awareness during night operations
• Head-Up Display (HUD) featuring symbology compatible with front line combat aircraft types
• Hands-On-Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) controls with moding and switching fully representative of front line combat aircraft types
• Inertial Navigation/Global Positioning System (IN/GPS) for enhanced navigation/ weapon aiming accuracy
• Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) guaranteeing 10,000 hours Fatigue Life (based on Royal Air Force operational usage)
• Rolls Royce/Turbomeca Adour Mk.951 turbofan engine (6,500lb) with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), with an impressive 4,000 hour TBO (Time Between Overhaul)

Enhanced systems on the aircraft also include: -

• An upgraded Electrical System, with power provided by a 25kVA generator
• An Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) to provide electrical power and avionic cooling air whilst the aircraft is on the ground. The APU also provides engine start and engine re-light capability in flight.
• An On-Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS)
• Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)
• Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS)
• Digital Moving Map (DMM)
• Autopilot
• Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) capability using a fully-detachable, fixed position probe, mounted ahead of the aircraft windshield
• Embedded weapons and sensor simulation allowing cost effective training to be carried out on systems and tactics used on 4th and 5th generation frontline aircraft.

Technical Data / Performance (Indicative)

• Length overall - 40ft 7in (12.43m)
• Wing span (with missiles) - 32ft 7in (9.94m)
• Wing area - 179.64sq.ft (16.69sq.m)
• Height overall - 13ft 1in (3.98m)
• Basic Mass Empty (BME) - 9,792lb (4,440kg)
• Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) - 20,069lb (9,100kg)
• Maximum level speed (at sea level) - 555KCAS (0.84M)
• Maximum Dive Speed - Mach 1.2
• Maximum Load factors - +8g to –4g; +6g to –3g (with 6,000lb of weapons and 60% fuel)
• Powerplant - Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca Adour Mk.951 turbofan engine with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), rated at 6,500lb

Capability

Equipped with a moderately swept wing, which has a combat flap setting and ample reserves of power from the Adour engine, the Hawk is able to demonstrate exceptional flying characteristics. The aircraft has an excellent turn rate in both clean and loaded configurations and an impressive climb rate.

Throughout it's flight envelope the Hawk demonstrates stable, carefree handling characteristics with no control difficulties and therefore provides an exceptionally safe training environment for pilots.

The aircraft is equipped with the latest cockpit displays and sensors and is able to demonstrate air-to-air and air-to-ground combat and tactical formation flying and perform extended missions through the use of an Air to Air Refuelling (AAR) probe. Consequently the Hawk is an ideal platform for the introduction of student pilots in the Advanced Fast Jet (AFJ) phase of conversion.

The Hawk has tandem seats, with full controls available in the front cockpit. Duplication of essential controls with appropriate override facilities is provided in the rear cockpit, for example store jettison, landing gear and flaps. Internal lighting is provided for instruments, displays, and general cockpit illumination. Cockpit lighting, instruments, and displays are compatible with the use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG).

Customers

With 19 customers, the Hawk aircraft has been widely exported around the world, with the most recent customers being Australia, Canada, South Africa, Bahrain, India and the UK RAF.

Current Contracts:

Australia
The Hawk Mk127 contract, signed in 1997 was to deliver 33 fleet aircraft, 1 fatigue test aircraft and 2 operational flight trainers, supported by a suite of integrated computer based training classrooms.  The first aircraft were delivered in late 2000 and the last aircraft delivered in mid 2001.  As part of the work offset programme, a state of the art dedicated assembly and support facility was built at Williamtown in Australia.  In 2002 one of the 33 aircraft were modified and accepted by the customer to operate as an instrumented test aircraft.  The end of the current support period expires in March 2007 and CS&S Australia are currently negotiating to secure the follow-on 10 year support programme..33 aircraft and 1 fatigue aircraft were manufactured and delivered in 2001. Work now concentrates on the capability enhancement phase and an in-service contract managed by Customer Solutions and Support (CS&S).

NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC)
NFTC is a training facility in Canada for pilots from around the world. It is operated by Bombardier of Canada and utilises Hawk as the Advanced Jet Trainer. 18 Hawk Mk115s were delivered during 2000/2001 and since then further orders have been placed for two batches of 2 aircraft to satisfy increasing student numbers.  One of the Hawks at the NFTC recently surpassed 3,000 flying hours becoming the 'fleet leader' for the 100 series Hawk.

South Africa
The South African contract for 24 aircraft became effective in 2000. Aircraft number SA001, which was manufactured through to Final Assembly stages at Brough and flight-tested at Warton, successfully flew in South Africa early in 2004. Final Assembly of the remaining 23 aircraft is being undertaken by Denel in South Africa, with flight-testing taking place in the South African Air Force’s Test Flight & Development Centre (TFDC) in Bredasdorp. So far 16 aircraft have been delivered to the South African Air Force.

Bahrain
The contract to supply 6 for Hawk advanced jet trainers along with a package of equipment, support and training for the Royal Bahrain Air Force (RBAF) became effective early in 2003. All aircraft have now been delivered. The first aircraft made its maiden flight six months ahead of schedule. Two of the aircraft have been in use in the first part of 2006 at BAE Systems’ Technical Training Academy at Warton, where fifty four RBAF technicians have undergone intensive training to prepare them in all aspects of maintenance of the Hawk aircraft.   The

India
The contract for the Indian Air Force comprises the purchase of 66 aircraft, associated support and interim pilot training. The initial batch of 24 aircraft will beare being built at BAE Systems’ facilities in the UK with the first aircraft to be delivered to the Indian Air Force in 2007. The following 42 will be manufactured in India through a partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The first Indian aircraft made its maiden flight in December 2006, and nearly 40 Indian Air Force pilos have undergone interim pilot training at RAF Valley.  In addition BAE Systems has delivered 1,500 tonnes of raw material, 3,500 tools and 15 million components for the aircraft that will be built in India.

UK RAF
With the recent introduction into RAF service of a modern digital cockpit aircraft, the training potential offered by the current fleet is no longer adequate to meet the pilot training need. In July 2003, the UK Government announced that BAE Systems had been selected to provide aircraft to train its next generation of pilots.

In October 2006 a production contract was signed for a total of 28 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers.  Delivery of these aircraft will commence in 2006.