Brainstorming meeting on advance jet trainers- AJT Hawks

[Daredevil]

For the first time in India, airmen from 11 countries are discussing how they operate advanced jet trainers (AJT) Hawks in their countries.

Fighter pilots, squadron commanders, or their deputies have assembled in Bangalore for a peer-to-peer dialogue and to compare notes at the four-day Hawk Users Group (HUG) meeting, that started on Sunday.

The airmen will discuss all aspects of training involving the AJTs. It is the Hawk manufacturer, British Aerospace Systems, that organises the biennial HUG meeting and the previous meeting was held in San Diego, USA, in March 2011.

"Hawk users have a lot of knowledge about the aircraft and also the advanced jet training environment," Michael Christie, senior vice -president, India, BAE Systems, told Express. "HUG provides an opportunity for Hawk users from around the world to share their experiences in a relatively informal setting, feeding the ongoing conversation about technological improvements."

HUG is likely to help the Indian Air Force (IAF) understand the aircraft and training methodologies in different countries.

The IAF extensively uses Hawks to train its pilots at the Bidar base. In fact, the IAF is in the process of acquiring an additional 20 aircraft to put in place a formation flying team.

IAF formation flying team Suryakiran, which was disbanded recently, was flying the aging Kiran aircraft. Air forces in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and a few other countries also fly Hawks for training their pilots.

At the meeting, IAF representatives and other air forces will make presentations focused on aircrew and engineers. "Technology, Training and Through Life Support" is the theme of the event.

Christie said, "In some cases, the interface provided by the HUG has led to customers setting up their own reciprocal exchange. For IAF, there is an opportunity to exchange information with other users of AJT and compare notes on how each is operating the aircraft to deliver their training. There is an opportunity to shape the future developments."

Brainstorming meeting on jet trainers - The New Indian Express

 

[agentperry]

these planes are no doubt very good as we can see after their induction the loses in iaf pertaining to training crashes/losses reduced considerably

 

[sorcerer]

'Combat Hawk' Aircraft by Next Year's 'Aero India'

NEW DELHI: The combat version of Advanced Jet Trainer, Hawk aircraft, is likely to be showcased in the next year's Aero India, a biennial air show of India.
State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is hoping that the 'Combat Hawk' will be an ideal export product besides being used domestically.

Highly placed sources said a foreign country has already evinced interest in the product.
They said that such an aircraft, slower than a fighter jet, can be useful for operations in forested areas and in low mountains. Moreover, many countries cannot afford to spend big on bigger fighter aircraft and hence the project has a lot of export potential.

"Combat Hawk" involves fitting air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground guns besides rockets and bombs to the aircraft which is currently used as trainer aircraft for fighter pilots before they enter an actual fighter jet.

HAL had last year signed an MoU with BAE Systems UK for upgradation of Hawk Mk132, development of Combat Hawk for Indian and export markets and maintenance solutions for supporting Jaguar and Hawk fleet.

The aircraft has the capabilities to be used as a ground attack aircraft or for air defence.
The aircraft is being produced at HAL under licence from BAE. The first aircraft was handed over to IAF in August 2008.

Production program of 42 Hawks to IAF was concluded in 2011-12. Further, second contract was signed between IAF and HAL in July 2010 for supply of forty of Hawk AJT and associated equipment.
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[sorcerer]

HAL Develops The Next Gen Make-In-India Hawk Fighter Two Years Before Deadline, To Export It From India!
India is set to soon offer a locally made combat version of the Hawk aircraft for export to the world with license producer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) set to roll out the first of the highly weaponised light attack planes by February 2017.

The Combat Hawk, which has already generated interest for its potential in unconventional operations, is currently under development jointly with its original manufacturer BAE with HAL looking to integrate a new engine, weapon systems and possibly a radar. "The aim is to demonstrate the aircraft by the next Aero India show that is to take place in 2017. The project is on track. There is a strong demand for such an aircraft," a senior official associated with the Hawk aircraft project told ET.

A weaponised version of the Hawk is already in service, with the Navy demonstrating its fire power at the recently concluded International Fleet Review (IFR).
BAE has in the past shown its support for the combat Hawk project for possible export orders. The Hawk aircraft - 123 of which are on order for the air force and navy - are the primary advanced trainers for combat pilots in India. Pilots undergo their final stage of flying training on the aircraft before moving on to other streams.


HAL, which builds the plane under license at Bengaluru, is set to deliver all 123 aircraft to the two services a year ahead of schedule, opening up capacity at its line. Besides the under negotiation order for 20 plus aircraft for the Surya Kiran aerobatic display team of the air force, the Navy too has expressed interest in ordering 17 more aircraft.
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