New Hawk advanced jet trainer makes Far East debut
16 Feb 2006
The new BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer is making its Far East debut at Asian Aerospace 2006 in Singapore.
Asian Aerospace 2006 is the start of a six-week tour for the Hawk New Demonstrator Aircraft (HNDA) to introduce existing and potential Hawk customers in the Far East, Middle East and Europe to the latest advanced jet trainer and to allow them to experience the capabilities of the new aircraft at first hand.
The proven reliability and low maintenance of Hawk means that the aircraft will be self-reliant throughout the tour, with only a limited propositioning of spares in the countries to be visited. A team of only five ground crew engineers will support the Hawk flying activities for the duration of the tour which also takes in the Middle East and Europe.
The programme starts at Asian Aerospace 2006 where the Chief of Air Force in Singapore has accepted an invitation to select a number of his leading pilots to fly in the Hawk in Asian airspace. Whilst in Singapore the Hawk team are also taking the opportunity to fly pilots from the Royal Brunei Air Force.
After the airshow, Hawk will fly to Malaysia and Thailand for further customer flying. Mike Rudd, Hawk Sales Director, explains, In Thailand, we are currently in extensive consultation with the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) which is aimed at providing it with a fleet of around 18 aircraft to allow RTAF pilots to train for using F16s. Malaysia, who already has Hawk aircraft in its inventory, has a requirement for additional advanced jet trainers to satisfy its training requirements for the F18 programme. We aim to pre-position ourselves in the competition to win that business.
After its Asia deployment, the Hawk team will turn its focus closer to home, returning to the UK via the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Greece, both of which have a requirement for a number of advanced jet trainers. An invitation has been extended to each air force to provide pilots for further customer familiarisation flights in the new Hawk.
The UAE has a known requirement for a number of advanced jet trainers. They operate the Hawk at the moment, and we are hoping to impress them with the latest version. Greece has also stated a requirement for an AJT for its air force, and we provided Greek pilots with customer familiarisation flying in the Hawk during a visit to Greece last year, commented Mike Rudd, Hawk Sales Director.
This regional customer focus activity will re-enforce Hawks position in the market place as being the most up to date Advanced Jet Trainer to meet the demands of air forces world wide now and for the future.
About BAE SYSTEMS
BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery, and support of advanced defence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea, and in space. The Company designs, manufactures, and supports military aircraft, combat vehicles, surface ships, submarines, radar, avionics, communications, electronics, and guided weapon systems. It is a pioneer in technology with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years and is at the forefront of innovation, working to develop the next generation of intelligent defence systems. BAE Systems has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The Company employs 100,000 people worldwide and generates annual sales of approximately 14.8 billion through its wholly owned and joint-venture operations.
For further information, please contact:
Ashleigh McClure, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0) 1772 856311
ashleigh.mcclure@baesystems.com
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