By Craig Hoyle in London
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| The Hawk 128 (painted black) is on its first overseas trip |
BAE Systems has deployed its first of two Hawk 128 demonstrators on a promotional tour of the Middle East and Europe accompanying the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows display team, which flies nine Hawk T1/1As.
Now painted in RAF colours, the aircraft arrived in Muscat, Oman on 24 May, before transiting through Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The countries are all viewed as potential buyers of new 100-series aircraft, with Bahrain already having signed a production deal to take delivery of six Hawk 129s during 2007 as part of a new pilot training system managed by BAE. The aircraft are shown flying over the Bahrain International Circuit, which in March hosted the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.
BAE’s newest-standard Hawk will also accompany the Red Arrows on tour in Greece and Spain before returning to the UK. However, the aircraft did not deploy for an air display in Goa, despite a reported campaign to sell up to 18 carrier-capable Hawks to the Indian navy.
BAE is awaiting a production order for up to 26 additional Hawk 128s from the UK Ministry of Defence, with the aircraft to provide the advanced jet training element of its future Military Flying Training System.
Source: Flight International
