Indigenous Hawk AJT for IAF

The first indigenous built Hawk-MK132 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft, by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief FH Major at the HAL airport in Bangalore on Thursday (August 14), by the HAL Chairman Ashok K Baweja.

As part of a $1.7 billion contract between HAL and Britain’s BAE Systems, 66 Hawks are being acquired for the IAF. The British manufacturer will supply 24 aircraft in fly-away condition and the remaining 42 are to be assembled and license produced at HAL.

The Hawk AJT is a transonic tandem-seat ground attack trainer, powered by a single Rolls Royce Mk 871 turbo fan engine. The aircraft has a one piece moderately swept wing, mounted low on the fuselage, with double-slotted flaps and advanced aerofoil section.

India has built the British Hawk AJT at facilities of state-owned HAL at rates nearly 20% less than those built by BAE Systems, said a senior Indian Defence Ministry official. The cost of the HAL-built Hawk is about $14.2 million per aircraft while the Hawks built by BAE cost more than $20.2 million.