BAE Systems Hawk
BAE Systems · United Kingdom · first flew 1974 · fighter
The BAE Systems Hawk is a single-engine tandem-seat advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft, one of the most successful trainers of its generation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.43 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-engine jet with side intakes
- Long tandem greenhouse canopy
- Compact low swept wing
Identify the compact single-engine trainer by its oval side intakes behind the cockpit, a long tandem canopy with a raised rear seat, and low swept wings beneath a single swept fin.
Specifications
- The BAE Systems Hawk has a length of 12.43 m (41 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.94 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1028 km/h (639 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 (student and instructor).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Hawk first flew in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley HS.1182 and entered RAF service as the Hawk T1. Successive generations added more capable Adour engines, uprated wings and glass cockpits, culminating in the Hawk 100/128 series and the Hawk T2 delivered from the mid-2000s.
Variants
Marks range from the T1 through the export Hawk 60/100/200 families, including the single-seat Hawk 200 light fighter and the advanced Hawk 128/T2 with a fully digital cockpit.
Where you'll see it
The Hawk has been an RAF mainstay for decades as its principal fast-jet trainer and as the mount of the Red Arrows aerobatic team, making it one of the most recognisable aircraft in British skies.
Related aircraft
- CT-155 Hawk
- BAe Hawk 200
- Hawk 109
- Hawk 129
- Atlas Impala Mk II
- BAe Hawk
- BAe Hawk T.1
- Dassault Super Etendard
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