Australia's
BAE Systems Hawk 127 lead-in fighter trainers are to be upgraded to a
configuration based on the new-generation T2 model flown by the UK Royal Air
Force, defence minister Stephen Smith has confirmed.
Providing
details of an initial A$25 million ($25.8 million) contract with BAE, Smith
says the award "signals the commencement of upgrade activities on the
Royal Australian Air Force's fast jet training capability".
Flightglobal's
MiliCAS database records the service as having 33 of the aircraft, which were
delivered between 1999 and 2001 and are flown from RAAF Base Williamtown, New
South Wales and RAAF Base Pearce in Western Australia.
Speaking at the Farnborough air show on 10
July, BAE's director of Hawk aircraft programmes Michael Christie said the
mid-life upgrade will take Australia's trainers to largely the same OC2
software standard as the 28 T2s flown by the RAF and the 22 Hawk 165s recently
ordered by Saudi Arabia.
The company
hopes India's inventory of the type could also be equipped with the same
mission computers and software as part of a future modification programme, he
added.
Upgrading
the Hawk 127 fleet will "ensure a suitable foundation for progression on
to the [Boeing] F/A-18 Classic and Super Hornets and the [Lockheed Martin F-35]
Joint Strike Fighter," says minister for defence materiel Jason Clare.
"Australian
industry will be responsible for construction of simulator facilities,
modification of the Hawk fleet, and in-service support of equipment,"
states the nation's Department of Defence.
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