BAE Hawk
BAE Hawk T.1 trainer Larger version
Description
Role	Advanced Trainer, ground attack and light fighter
Crew	2
Dimensions
Length	39ft 2in	11.96m
Wingspan	30ft 9.75in	9.39m
Height	13ft 1in	4.0m
Wing area
Weights
Empty
Loaded
Maximum take-off
Powerplant
Engines	One Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca Adour Mk 151 turbofan
Power	5,200 lb	23 kN
Performance
Maximum speed	633mph at sea level	1000kmh at sea level
Combat range
Ferry range
Service ceiling
Rate of climb
Armament
Guns
Bombs

The Hawk is an advanced jet trainer manufactured by BAE SYSTEMS and used by the Royal Air Force and other countries.

Table of contents

1 History 2 Variants 3 Notes 4 Characteristics 5 Units Using the Hawk 5.1 Royal Air Force 5.2 Royal Australian Air Force 5.3 Finnish Air Force 5.4 Kenyan Air Force 5.5 Saudi Arabian Air Force 5.6 South African Air Force 5.7 South Korean Air Force 5.8 Swiss Air Force 6 External Links

History

In 1964 the Royal Air Force specified a requirement for a new initial jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat. The SEPECAT Jaguar was originally intended for this role, but it was soon realised that it would be too complex an aircraft for initial jet training. Accordingly, in 1968 Hawker Siddeley Aviation began the design of a much simpler strictly subsonic trainer, the HS.1182. It was to have tandem seating and would be capable of carrying armaments, which would enable it to be used as a weapons trainer and in light combat roles.

The Hawk proper first flew in 1974. It entered RAF service in April 1976, replacing the Gnat and Hawker Hunter in the advanced training and weapons training roles respectively. The most famous RAF operator is the Red Arrows aerobatic team, which adopted the plane in 1979.

The Hawk gained an additional role from January 1983, when modification of 88 RAF aircraft to carry Sidewinder missiles commenced. The resulting T.Mk 1A variant was intended for emergency use as a point-defence fighter. Hawks are no longer used in this role.

The Hawk subsequently replaced the English Electric Canberra in the target towing role. The Royal Navy acquired a dozen Hawk T.Mk 1/1As from the RAF, for use as aerial targets for the training of ships gunners and radar operators.

Variants

• The Hawk T1 is the original version used by the RAF.
• The Hawk 50 was the original export trainer version, from which the T-45 Goshawk was derived.
• The Hawk 60 is the current export version, replacing the Hawk 50, and is intended for conversion and weapons training. It is a two-seater, has Rolls Royce Adour 861 engines and is capable of Mach 1.2.
• The Hawk 100 is a two-seat advanced weapons trainer with additional avionics, including forward looking infrared.
• The Hawk 128 includes modern CRT displays instead of conventional instrumentation, and allows preparation for flying modern fighter aircraft. It has Rolls Royce Adour 951 engines.
• The Hawk 200 is a single seat, lightweight multi-role combat aircraft for air defence and ground attack missions. It has Rolls Royce Adour 871 engines.

Notes

The stepped cockpit, allowing the instructor in the rear seat a good forward view, was an innovation subsequently adopted by many other training aircraft.

Characteristics

• Cost: ~ $18m US (Hawk 155 as sold to India 2003)
• First flight: 1974
• In service date: 1976
• Users: Royal Air Force, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Finland, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, South African Air Force, South Korea, Switzerland, the United States Navy (Goshawk) and others

Royal Air Force

• No. 100 Squadron

Finnish Air Force

Kenyan Air Force

Saudi Arabian Air Force

South African Air Force

South Korean Air Force

Swiss Air Force

External Links