The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : IAF to fly Hawk by end of next year

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

IAF to fly Hawk by end of next year

By Our Staff Reporter

Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi (left) alighting from the British Hawk after a sortie at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bangalore on Tuesday. Test pilot Gordon McClymon is seen. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE, FEB. 8. The British aircraft firm, BAe Systems, will deliver the first Hawk-132 Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft being produced under license in India to the Indian Air Force (IAF) before the next Aero India in February 2007.

BAe Systems senior military adviser, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day, told presspersons here on Tuesday that the first Hawk would be flown by the IAF by the end of 2006.

It was likely to be accepted by India in early 2007. "We hope to bring it for the next airshow," he said.

Seven Hawk aircraft were being built at the BAe Systems unit at Brough, East Yorkshire in the U.K., he said.

$ 1.45 billion deal

After negotiations lasting 18 years, India and Bae Systems had struck a $ 1.45 billion deal last March to acquire 66 Hawk 132 trainer aircraft.

As per the deal, Bae Systems would produce 22 aircraft, while Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) will build the others at its Bangalore unit.

Bae Systems India Executive Vice-President, Mike Armstrong, said the British aerospace firm was at present training 20 IAF pilots in the U.K. of the 70 pilots to be trained on the Hawk trainer aircraft.

`India happy'

Mr. Armstrong said India was content with the agreement, responding to a query on the concern expressed by it over the guarantee of supply of U.S. components in the aircraft.

As many as 195 Hawks with advanced cockpit and avionics were used in 10 countries and the company had an order for 110 Hawks to be delivered, he said.

VVIP pilot

The Hawk had a VVIP pilot at the Yelahanka Air Force Station here. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi, flew the British Hawk at a dress rehearsal today.

Alighting from the aircraft after a 20-minute sortie, the Air Chief Marshal told presspersons that the Hawk had the same qualities as the IAF thought, although it was 20 years now.

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