The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) handed over 75th Hawk aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a function held at HAL Pavilion during Aero India 2015. T. Suvarna Raju, Chairman, HAL, said: “We have absorbed the Hawk technology completely and will be able to support the project for next 40 years.”

The aircraft is currently being produced at HAL under licence from BAES, UK and the first aircraft was handed over to IAF in August 2008. Air Marshal Ramesh Rai, AOC-in-C, Training Command, said Hawk has been of great service to IAF and has flown over 70,000 hrs.

The Hawk 132 is an advanced jet trainer (AJT) with tandem dual seats meant to provide basic, advanced flying and weapons training. The cockpit provides excellent field of view and the aircraft is equipped with inertial navigation/global positioning system, head-up display and hands-on throttle and stick controls.

The Aircraft has the capabilities to be used as a ground attack aircraft or for air defence. The Hawk AJT has excellent flying characteristics with good stability and can be flown at night in addition to performing a wide range of aerobatic manoeuvres. The aircraft can accommodate a wide variety of external stores. The aircraft has 7 hard points to carry external stores with a possible 12 types of combinations to carry the stores.

Production programme of 42 Hawks to IAF was concluded in 2011-12. Further, the second contract was signed between IAF and HAL on July 23, 2010, for supply of 40 Hawk AJT and associated equipment. HAL has so far produced 21 aircraft and would be producing all the 40 aircraft by 2016-17.