Hawk

Training pilots on a jet aircraft is an essential intermediate stage in moving from a basic trainer to a front line fighter. Learning the flight characteristics of a jet and maintaining flying skills is considerably cheaper to do on a jet trainer than on a fighter.

All flight training at the NPTC is given with the Finnish Air Force’s Hawk fast jet trainers. The Hawk fleet is being modernised to incorporate a glass cockpit, INS, GPS and MPS computers.

The modified aircraft has enhanced capabilities for:

• Basic and advanced pilot training
• Air-to-air combat
• Air-to-ground attack
• Training for air-to-air combat and air-to-ground attack

In summary, the tactical handling characteristics together with the modern avionics and weapon systems enable the upgraded Hawk to be efficiently employed for fighter lead-in training. The glass cockpit Hawks will be available for NPTC customers starting 2009.

Technical Data

• Manufactured in Britain
• Two-seat jet trainer
• One 2420 kp bypass engine
• Maximum level speed 560 kt at low altitudes and 0.88 Mach at altitude, > 1.1 Mach in dive
• Maximum range 2400 km
• Ceiling 48 000 feet
• Empty weight 3647 kg
• Maximum takeoff weight 7750 kg
• Maximum fuel load 2500 l
• Span 9.4 m
• Length 11.9 m
• Height 4 m
• Wing area 16.7 m2

Weapons

• 30 mm cannon
• Captive training missiles