BAE Systems completes manufacture of sixth Hawk AJT for the Indian Air Force

Warton, UK: BAE Systems has announced that its Brough plant has delivered the sixth Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to the company's Warton site. BAE said that with the delivery of the aircraft, the UK assembly programme is now 25 per cent complete.

Under the terms of contract, BAE Systems is due to build the first 24 aircraft, while the remaining 42 are to be manufactured under license in India through a partnership with India's aerospace major, the Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. BAE will be building the first 24 aircraft at its facilities in Brough, East Yorkshire, United Kingdom, with flight-testing taking place at Warton in Lancashire.

Tony Arksey, operations and site director, BAE Systems, Brough, said: "The programme has been extremely successful to date and this latest achievement is a credit to the Hawk team and is yet another example of BAE Systems' ability to deliver the world's leading advanced jet trainer."

In March 2004 the Government of India signed a contract with BAE Systems to use Hawk as the new  Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) for the Indian Air Force. The contract comprises the purchase of 66 Hawk Mk132 aircraft, ground based training systems, associated support and interim pilot training at RAF Valley in Wales.