Hawk 127
BAE Systems / Boeing Australia · Australia · first flew 1997 · fighter
The Hawk 127 is the Australian Air Force's lead-in fighter trainer variant of the BAE Systems Hawk 100 series, used to bridge the gap between basic training and conversion to the F/A-18 Hornet.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Single Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour turbofan with intakes on the fuselage sides at the wing roots |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- RAAF variant of the BAE Systems Hawk 100 series lead-in fighter trainer
- Single Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour turbofan with intakes on the fuselage sides at the wing roots
- Tandem two-seat cockpit with a large one-piece wraparound windscreen
Compact swept-wing jet trainer with overwing intakes feeding a single engine. Tandem cockpit under a long canopy. Pointed nose. Classic Hawk family silhouette: low aspect ratio swept wing, high tail.
Specifications
- The Hawk 127 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 (tandem).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Australia selected the Hawk to replace the Macchi MB-326 in the lead-in fighter training role. Thirty-three aircraft were delivered between 2000 and 2001, assembled locally by Boeing Australia with RAAF-specific mission systems including a MIL-STD-1553 data bus, digital cockpit, and weapons delivery system. The Hawk 127 has trained every RAAF fighter pilot since the early 2000s.
Variants
Hawk 127 (RAAF only); closely related to Hawk 100 series but with Australian-specific avionics and weapons system. UK equivalent is the Hawk T1/T2.
Where you'll see it
RAAF No. 76 Squadron and No. 79 Squadron at RAAF Base Pearce since 2000. The fleet is being retained pending F-35A pilot pipeline needs.
Related aircraft
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