Editing BAE Systems Hawk (section)

==Development==
[[File:raf hawk t1a xx205 arp.jpg|thumb|A Royal Air Force Hawk T1A at [[Kemble Airport]], Gloucestershire, with its pilot]]

===Origins===
In 1964, the [[Royal Air Force]] specified a requirement (Air Staff Target, AST, 362) for a new fast 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 fast jet training and only a small number of two-seat versions were purchased. Accordingly, in 1968, [[Hawker Siddeley|Hawker Siddeley Aviation]] (HSA) began studies for a simpler aircraft, initially as special project (SP) 117. The design team was led by [[Ralph Hooper]].<ref>''Flight International'' 22 November 1986, p. 61.</ref>

This project was funded by the company as a private venture, in anticipation of possible RAF interest. The design was conceived of as having tandem seating and a combat capability in addition to training, as it was felt the latter would improve export sales potential. By the end of the year HSA had submitted a proposal to the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] based on the design concept, and in early 1970 the RAF issued Air Staff Target (AST) 397 which formalised the requirement for new trainers of this type. The RAF selected the HS.1182 for their requirement on 1 October 1971 and the principal contract, for 175 aircraft, was signed in March 1972.<ref>Reed, A., "Modern Combat Aircraft 20: BAe Hawk", Chapter 1 (Ian Allan, 1985) {{ISBN|978-0-7110-1465-7}}</ref><ref>Donald, D. and Lake, J., eds, "Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft", Volume 1 (Aerospace Publishing, 1994) {{ISBN|978-1-874023-51-7}}"</ref>

The prototype aircraft XX154 first flew on 21 August 1974 from Dunsfold piloted by [[Duncan Simpson]], Chief Test Pilot of HSA (Kingston), reaching 20,000&nbsp;ft in a flight lasting 53 minutes.<ref>RAF Museum postal cover "Commemorating the First Flight of the Hawk", 21 August 1974.</ref> All development aircraft were built on production jigs; the program remained on time and to budget throughout.<ref name="field 834"/> The Hawk T1 entered RAF service in late 1976.<ref name="Polmar Bell 388">[[Norman Polmar|Polmar]] and Bell 2004, p. 388.</ref> The first export Hawk 50 flew on 17 May 1976. This variant had been specifically designed for the dual role of lightweight fighter and advanced trainer; it had a greater weapons capacity than the T.1.<ref name="Polmar Bell 388"/>

[[File:RAF Red Arrows depart RIAT Fairford 14thJuly2014 arp.jpg|thumb|The RAF [[Red Arrows]] depart the 2014 [[Royal International Air Tattoo]], [[England]], in a colour scheme that commemorates their 50th year.]] 
More variants of the Hawk followed, and common improvements to the base design typically included increased range, more powerful engines, redesigned wing and undercarriage, the addition of radar and forward-looking infrared, [[GPS]] navigation, and night-vision compatibility.<ref>Polmar and Bell 2004, p. 387-390.</ref> Later models were manufactured with a great variety in terms of avionics fittings and system compatibility to suit the individual customer nation; cockpit functionality was often rearranged and programmed to be common to an operator's main fighter fleet to increase the Hawk's training value.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1994/1994%20-%200430.html "British Aerospace Hawk."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731195635/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1994/1994%20-%200430.html |date=31 July 2013 }} ''Flight International'', 22 February 1994.</ref>

In 1981, 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 design was adapted to naval service and strengthened to withstand operating directly from the decks of carriers, in addition to typical land-based duties.<ref name="Polmar Bell 387"/> This T-45 entered service in 1994; initial aircraft had analogue cockpits, while later deliveries featured a digital [[glass cockpit]]. All airframes were planned to undergo avionics upgrades to a common standard.<ref>Polmar and Bell 2004, pp. 387, 389–340.</ref>

===Further development===
[[File:RAF jet at Blackpool Airport - geograph.org.uk - 1315285.jpg|thumb|RAF Hawk at Blackpool Airport, 2008]]

A major competitor to the Hawk for export sales has been the [[Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet]]; aviation expert [[John W. R. Taylor]] commented: "What Europe must avoid is the kind of wasteful competition that has the Hawker Siddeley Hawk and Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet battling against each other in the world market."<ref name=j75>Taylor 1976, p. 63.</ref> By early 1998, a total of 734 Hawks had been sold, more than 550 of which had been sold to export customers.<ref>Phythian 2001, p. 166.</ref> Military customers often procured the Hawk as a replacement for older aircraft such as the [[BAC Strikemaster]], [[Hawker Hunter]], and [[Douglas A-4 Skyhawk]].<ref>Phythian 2001, pp. 156, 239, 246.</ref>

During the 1980s and 1990s, British Aerospace, the successor company to Hawker Siddeley, was trying to gain export sales of the variable-wing [[Panavia Tornado]] strike aircraft; however, countries such as [[Thailand]] and [[Indonesia]], which had shown initial interest in the Tornado, concluded that the Hawk is a more suitable and preferable aircraft for their requirements.<ref>Phythian 2001, p. 180.</ref> [[Malaysia]] and [[Oman]] cancelled their arranged Tornado orders in the early 1990s, both choosing to procure the Hawk, instead.<ref>Phythian 2001, pp. 180–181, 246.</ref> Aviation authors Norman Polmar and Dana Bell stated of the Hawk: "Of the many similar designs competing for a share of the world market, the Hawk has been without equal in performance as well as sales".<ref name="Polmar Bell 387">Polmar and Bell 2004, p. 387.</ref>

[[File:HawkT2-ZK020.jpg|thumb|left|A Hawk T2 of the Royal Air Force in 2009]]
On 22 December 2004, the Ministry of Defence awarded a contract to BAE Systems to develop an advanced model of the Hawk for the RAF and Royal Navy.<ref name="parl T2 order">{{cite news |title=Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/vo050126/text/50126w01.htm |publisher=Hansard Column 333W |date=26 January 2005 |access-date=30 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706222512/https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/vo050126/text/50126w01.htm |archive-date=6 July 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Hawk Mk. 128, otherwise designated as Hawk T2, replaces conventional instrumentation with a glass cockpit, to better resemble modern fighter aircraft such as the new mainstay of the RAF, the [[Eurofighter Typhoon]]. In October 2006, a £450&nbsp;million contract was signed for the production of 28 Hawk 128s.<ref name=bt1>{{cite news|title=BAE lands £450m Hawks contract |publisher=Blackpool Today |date=20 October 2006 }}</ref> The aircraft's maiden flight occurred on 27 July 2005 from BAE Systems' [[Warton Aerodrome]].<ref name="128 maiden">"Hawk Mk 128 Makes Maiden Flight" ''Air Forces Monthly'', September 2005, p. 6.</ref>

According to BAE Systems, as of July 2012, they had sold nearly 1000 Hawks, with sales continuing.<ref>Hoyle, Craig. [http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-bae-close-to-selling-1000th-hawk-trainer-374394/ "FARNBOROUGH: BAE close to selling 1,000th Hawk trainer."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823065443/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/farnborough-bae-close-to-selling-1000th-hawk-trainer-374394/ |date=23 August 2012 }} ''Flight International'', 16 July 2012.</ref> In July 2012, Australian Defence Minister [[Stephen Smith (Australian politician)|Stephen Smith]] confirmed that Australia's fleet of Hawk Mk 127s would be upgraded to a similar configuration to the RAF's Hawk T2 as part of a major mid-life upgrade.<ref>Hoyle, Craig. [http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/australia-to-upgrade-hawk-trainers-to-rafs-t2-standard-374492/ "Australia to upgrade Hawk trainers to RAF's T2 standard "] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819011653/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/australia-to-upgrade-hawk-trainers-to-rafs-t2-standard-374492/ |date=19 August 2012 }} ''Flight International'', 18 July 2012.</ref> The Hawk T2 was considered to be a competitor for the [[United States Air Force]]'s [[T-X program]] to acquire a new trainer fleet,<ref>Hoyle, Craig. [http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-training-bosses-underscore-need-for-t-x-acquisition-369708/ "USAF training bosses underscore need for T-X acquisition."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428022325/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-training-bosses-underscore-need-for-t-x-acquisition-369708/ |date=28 April 2012 }} ''Flight International'', 20 March 2012.</ref> but in February 2015, [[Northrop Grumman]] determined the Hawk's shortfalls made it ill-suited for the program requirements and dropped it as their offering.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://aviationweek.com/defense/northrop-pivots-clean-sheet-t-x-trainer|title=Northrop Pivots To Clean-Sheet T-X Trainer|last1=Butler|first1=Amy|date=6 February 2015|access-date=6 February 2015|magazine=Aviation Week|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206170749/http://aviationweek.com/defense/northrop-pivots-clean-sheet-t-x-trainer|archive-date=6 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2015, Indian aerospace manufacturer [[Hindustan Aeronautics]] (HAL) revealed that it was examining the prospects of performing its own Hawk upgrades, including armed light attack variants. The [[Indian Air Force]], which were in the process of receiving trainer Hawks built under licence by HAL, were reportedly interested in the upgrade proposals, which would also include avionics and cockpit modifications; HAL has stated that it also aims to export combat Hawks to other countries in partnership with BAE. Missile developer and manufacturer [[MBDA]] may provide their [[ASRAAM]] and [[Brimstone (missile)|Brimstone]] missiles to arm the new attack type.<ref>Chandra, Atul. [http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/hal-eyes-export-potential-of-light-attack-hawk-412822/ "HAL eyes export potential of light attack Hawk."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529092310/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/hal-eyes-export-potential-of-light-attack-hawk-412822/ |date=29 May 2015 }} ''Flight International'', 28 May 2015.</ref>
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