BAE Systems Hawk

British Aerospace Hawk 51 HW-334 3 Finnish Air ForceBritish Aerospace Hawk 51 HW-334/3 Finnish Air Force

The BAE Systems Hawk is a British single-engine, jet-powered advanced trainer aircraft. A derivative of the Hawk was selected by the United States Navy as their new trainer aircraft. Designated the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk. The most famous users of the Hawk are the Red Arrows aerobatic team, who adopted the plane in 1979.

  • Role: Advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft
  • Manufacturer: BAE Systems
  • National origin: United Kingdom
  • First flight: 21 August 1974
  • Introduction: 1976
  • Produced: 1974–present
  • Number built: 1,000+
  • Status: In service

Military operators

  • Royal Australian Air Force – 33 Hawk 127
  • Royal Bahraini Air Force – 6 Hawk 129
  • Royal Canadian Air Force – 16 Hawk 115
  • Finnish Air Force – 75 Hawks (50 Mk.51, 7 Mk.51A, 18 Mk.66
  • Indian Air Force – 66 Hawk 132 (total 106 ordered for IAF)
  • Indian Navy – 8 Hawk 132 (total 17 ordered)
  • Indonesian Air Force – 38 Hawk 53/109/209
  • Kuwait Air Force – 10 Hawk 64
  • Royal Malaysian Air Force – 19 Hawk 108/208
  • Royal Air Force of Oman – 15 Hawk 103/203
  • Royal Saudi Air Force – 45 Hawk 65
  • South African Air Force – 24 Hawk 120
  • Royal Air Force – 81 Hawk T1/28 Hawk T2
  • Royal Navy – 17 Hawk T1
  • United Arab Emirates Air Force – 36 Hawk 61/63/102

Former operators

  • Kenya Air Force – 7 Hawk 52, out of service and retired as of 2012
  • Republic of Korea Air Force introduced 20 T-59 (Hawk 67) in September 1992. Retired from service in 2013
  • Swiss Air Force: 20 Hawk Mk. 66 were bought in 1992 but decommissioned in 2002, of which 18 were sold to Finland in June 2007
  • Air Force of Zimbabwe – 12 Hawk 60 retired as of 2011 because of lack of spares and lack of BAE support

Specifications (Hawk 128)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2: student, instructor
  • Length: 12.43 m (40 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.94 m (32 ft 7 in)
  • Height: 3.98 m (13 ft 1 in)
  • Wing area: 16.70 m2 (179.64 ft2)
  • Empty weight: 4,480 kg (9,880 lb)
  • Useful load: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 9,100 kg (20,000 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Adour Mk. 951 turbofan with FADEC, 29 kN (6,500 lbf) 29 kN

Performance

  • Maximum speed: Mach 0.84 (1,028 km/h, 638 mph) at altitude
  • Range: 2,520 km (1,360 nmi, 1,565 mi)
  • Service ceiling: 13,565 m (44,500 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 47 m/s (9,300 ft/min)
  • Thrust/weight: 0.65

Armament

Note: all armament is optional.
  • 1× 30 mm ADEN cannon, in centreline pod
  • Up to 6,800 lb (3,085 kg) of weapons on five hardpoints, including:
    • 4× AIM-9 Sidewinder or ASRAAM on wing pylons and wingtip rails
  • 1,500 lb (680 kg), limited to one centreline and two wing pylons (Hawk T1)