British Aerospace Hawk LIFT

Type (Muster)
Lead-in fighter trainer (Hochleistungs-Jettrainer)

Country (Land)
UK (Großbritannien)

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
British Aerospace (Military Aircraft & Aerostructures
Warton Aerodrome
Warton, Lancashire PR4 1AX
UK

Phone: 0044-1772/633333
Fax: 0044-1772/855279

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2

Weapons: The Hawk LIFT has seven external stations for a total of 3000 kg payload, including:

AIM-9 Sidewinder on the wingtips
9 x 240 kg bombs
5 x 450 kg bombs
9 x 113 kg bombs
5 x cluster bombs
4 x practice bomb carriers
4 x rocket launchers (68 mm or 81 mm or 100 mm)
Aden 30 mm gun pod under the fuselage
fuel tanks (130 gallon)
reconnaissance pod

Power plant (Antrieb): 1 x Rolls-Royce Adour 871 turbofan
Thrust (Schub): 26 kN (5845 lbs) static at sea level, ISA

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 12,43 m
Height (Höhe): 3,98 m
Span (Spannweite): 9,94 m over missiles at the wingtips
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 16,7 sq m
Wing sweep, quarter chord (Flügelpfeilung): 21, 5 deg

Weights (Massen)
Basic weight empty (Leermasse): 4400 kg
Max. fuel (Max. Kraftstoff): 1655 litres internal, 1182 litres in external tanks
Max. warload (max. Waffenzuladung): 3000 kg
Max. take-off weigth (Max. Startmasse): 9100 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. level speed (max. Fluggeschwindigkeit): 1000 km/h or Mach 0.82
Max. dive speed (max. Geschw. im Sturzflug): Mach 1.2
Time to 30000 ft (Steigzeit auf 9145 m): 7,5 min
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 13565 m (44500 ft)
Take-off run (Startrollstrecke): 640 m
Landing run (Landerollstrecke): 605 m
Combat radius (Einsatzradius)
   - economic exclusion zone patrol: over 500 NM (926 km)
   - close air support: 230 km (125 NM) with four 450 kg bombs and Aden gun pod
   - interdiction: 640 km (345 NM) with four 240 kg bombs and Aden gun pod
Ferry range (Überführungsreichweite mit Zusatztanks): 2520 km (1360 NM)
Air defence patrol (Luftüberwachungspatrouille): 2,1 hr loiter, 185 km from base
Training sortie duration (Trainingsmission): 1 hour 10 min with clean aircraft
g-Limits: +8/-4 g with limited payload, +6/-3 g with 2720 kg warload
Service life (Lebensdauer): 10000 hours on the airframe

Customers (Kunden)
So far, only the Government of South Africa has choosen the LIFT-version for the SAAF. Detailed contract negotiations on 24 aircraft are to begin soon.
In September 1998, British Aerospace said that it "sees the world market as 150 jet trainers a year, and we are aiming to secure around 48 a year".

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Aero L 159
Aermacchi MB339

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The Hawk LIFT (Lead In Fighter Trainer) is the latest variant in the eminently successful Hawk trainer and light-attack aircraft family, which traces its history back to the early 70s. It is based on the Hawk 100 series, but features significant avionics and systems changes to bring down life cycle costs and provide the students with an environment more representative of the fourth generation combat aircraft like Gripen or Eurofighter EF2000. This will allow an increased amount of training on the Hawk rather than on the more expensive and scarce front-line aircraft. Major differences are:

Three instead of two multi-function displays (see photo)
HOTAS (Hands on Throttle and Stick) controls
Head-up display with full navigation, air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons aiming capabilities
INS with embedded GPS
FLIR option
air-to-air refuelling capability, with fixed, detachable probe
auxiliary power unit
electrical system changed to AC
HUMS equipment
oxygen system upgraded with an OBOGS (On-Board Oxygen Generation System)

The Hawk LIFT was formally unveiled at the Farnborough air show in September 1998. There is as yet no prototype flying, as BAe is testing some of the new systems on its Hawk 100 demonstrator aircraft. It is expected that full development gets under way in earnest as soon as a contract with South Africa is signed. The Pretoria government selected the Hawk LIFT as part of its multi-billion Rand arms buying spree on November 18, 1998. The 24 aircraft are supposed to cost 4,7 billion Rand. According to BAe, Denel will undertake final assembly and through life logistic support. Also, ATE will have responsibility for the design and development of the mission system. Required in-service date is 2005.
Other than South Africa, British Aerospace is currently marketing the Hawk in a dozen or so countries, like Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, New Zealand, Poland, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It now has over 750 orders for the whole Hawk family, from 18 customers world-wide, as follows:

Royal Air Force: 176 x T Mk.1, delivered 1976 to 1981
Finland: 57 x Mk.57, delivered 1980 - 1993
Kenya: 12 x Mk.52, delivered 1980 - 1981
Indonesia: 20 x Mk.53, delivered 1980 - 1984 8 x Mk.109, delivered 1996
32 x Mk.209, delivered 1996 and 1998/99
US Navy: 174 x T-45 Goshawk, assembled by Boeing in St. Louis, deliveries started in 1988
Zimbabwe: 13 x Mk.60 and Mk.60A, delivered 1982 and 1992
Dubai: 9 x Mk.61, delivered 1983 - 1988
Abu Dhabi: 20 x Mk.63A and Mk.63C, delivered in 1984/85 and 1994
18 x Mk.102, delivered 1993
Kuwait: 12 x Mk.64, delivered 1986
Saudi Arabia: 50 x Mk.65, delivered 1987/88 (30) and 1997
Switzerland: 20 x Mk.66, delivered 1989 - 1991
South Korea: 20 x Mk.67, delivered 1992 -1993
Oman: 4 x Mk. 103, delivered 1993
4 x Mk.203, delivered 1993
Malaysia: 10 x Mk.108, delivered 1993/94
18 x Mk.208, delivered 1994/95
Canada (Bombardier NFTC): 18 x Mk.115, deliveries scheduled for 2000
Australia: 33 x Mk.127, deliveries scheduled for 2000/2001

Last updated 24 November 1998

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