In February five Indian Air Force Hawk AJTs
took part in the official induction ceremony of the aircraft into the
Air Force at Air Force Station Bidar in the southern state of
Karnataka. Present were the Indian Minister of Defence Shri A K
Anthony, Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal FH Major and Air
Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command Air Marshal GS Chaudhry as
well as representatives of BAES and Hindustan Aeronautics.
BAES has been awarded support package contracts by the Royal Air
Force of Oman worth £4m. Items include spares provision and the
procurement of a mission planning system.
In
Australia the final software for the Hawk Lead-in-Fighter Radar
Simulation System has been accepted after successful squadron trials.
Two of the South African Air Force's 24 Hawk Mk120s have been
painted in the colours of the South African flag for use at air shows
and demonstrations.
The Red Arrows recently returned from a North American tour. The
Hawks were ferried from the UK to Canada while the sixty or so support
staff travelled in the team's C-17. The first display was at the Quebec
International Air Show where the Red Arrows flew in friendly
competition with the Canadian Snowbirds, the USAF Thunderbirds and the
USN Blue Angels teams. Later venues were in Virginia, New York and
Rhode Island.
Members will be overjoyed to hear that the RAF is
marking the 70th anniversary of the Spitfire's entry into service by
painting Hawk XX184 in a 1938 camouflage scheme!
