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BAE Systems Hawk

BAe / BAE Systems · Advanced Jet Trainer / Lead-in Fighter Trainer · UK · Cold War (1970–1991)

BAE Systems Hawk — Advanced Jet Trainer / Lead-in Fighter Trainer
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The BAE Systems Hawk — originally Hawker Siddeley Hawk, then British Aerospace Hawk — is a British single-engine, two-seat lead-in fighter trainer and light combat aircraft developed by Hawker Siddeley Aviation (later British Aerospace, now BAE Systems). First flown in 1974 and entering Royal Air Force service in 1976, the Hawk became one of the most successful Western fast-jet trainer programmes ever fielded. As of 2026, more than 1,000 Hawks have been delivered to roughly 25 operators worldwide, including the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, U.S. Navy (T-45 Goshawk variant), and allied air arms across four continents. Alongside the Italian Aermacchi M-346 and Korean KAI T-50 Golden Eagle, the Hawk remains the principal Western lead-in fighter trainer in service.

The Hawk T1 / T1A measures 39 ft (11.9 m) in length with a 31 ft (9.4 m) wingspan, sitting on an empty weight of 8,015 lb and a maximum take-off weight of 13,000 lb. Power comes from a single Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk 151 turbofan rated at 5,500 lbf — a reliable powerplant derived from the SEPECAT Jaguar engine. Top speed is Mach 0.84 (640 mph at altitude), combat radius about 350 nmi with external tanks, and service ceiling 50,000 ft. Five hardpoints (three under-fuselage centreline plus two underwing) carry up to 6,800 lb of stores. Defining features include the tandem cockpit (instructor in the rear, student in front), full aerobatic clearance for fast-jet training, a pressurised glass cockpit on later variants, and Martin-Baker Mk 10 / Mk 16 ejection seats.

The Hawk's primary mission is lead-in fast-jet training, giving students realistic fast-jet handling before they convert to types such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35B Lightning II. Several air forces also fly it in the light-combat and ground-attack role as an affordable strike platform for nations that do not need a high-end fighter. Within the RAF, the Hawk fills two flagship roles: lead-in fast-jet training at RAF Valley (Anglesey, Wales), and aerobatic display flown by the nine-aircraft Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team — the world-renowned 'Red Arrows'. The Red Arrows have done more than any other operator to raise the type's international profile.

Continuously deployed since 1976, the Hawk has built a global operator base. The Royal Air Force has flown roughly 150 examples across the T1, T1A, T1W and T2 marks, with the Royal Navy operating about 20 Hawk T1 for naval pilot training. The U.S. Navy received 187 T-45 Goshawk carrier-trainers built to a heavily reworked design. Indonesia took 30 Hawk Mk 53 / 109; Saudi Arabia 70 Hawk Mk 65 / 65A; Australia 33 Hawk Mk 127 LIF; Canada 22 Hawk-derived CT-155 trainers; India 123 Hawk Mk 132 for Indian Air Force and Indian Navy fast-jet training; and South Korea 64 Hawk T1 before transitioning to the indigenous KAI T-50 Golden Eagle. Production runs from BAE Systems' Brough and Warton plants in England, with assembly at international partner facilities, and total Hawk family output has exceeded 1,000 airframes from 1974 to the present.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The BAE Systems Hawk is a British jet trainer. It first flew in 1974 and entered Royal Air Force service in 1976. More than 1,000 Hawks have been built, sold to 25 countries around the world. The Hawk is also used by Britain's famous Red Arrows display team.

The Hawk is 39 feet long with a 31-foot wingspan, smaller than a school bus. One Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour jet engine makes 5,500 pounds of thrust. Top speed is 640 mph, faster than most race cars. The plane can climb to 50,000 feet, higher than airliners.

The Hawk has two seats: student in front, instructor in back. Both pilots have full controls, so the instructor can take over if needed. The plane can do aerobatic moves like loops, rolls, and spins for fast-jet training. Student pilots fly the Hawk before moving on to the Eurofighter Typhoon or other modern combat jets.

The American Navy bought 221 Hawks called T-45 Goshawks for training Navy pilots. The T-45 can land on aircraft carriers. Other big Hawk operators include the British Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Canada, India, and South Korea. The Hawk has stayed in production for over 50 years, an impressive run.

Fun Facts

  • More than 1,000 Hawks have been built since 1974.
  • The Hawk is the trainer for Britain's famous Red Arrows display team.
  • Top speed is 640 mph, faster than most race cars.
  • The Hawk is 39 feet long, smaller than a school bus.
  • The Hawk can climb to 50,000 feet, higher than airliners.
  • 25 countries fly Hawks for training their pilots.
  • The American Navy bought 221 Hawks called T-45 Goshawks.

Kids’ Questions

Why a jet trainer?

New pilots first learn to fly in slow propeller planes. To fly modern combat jets, they need to practice high speeds, hard turns, and aerobatics. The Hawk is fast and agile but cheaper than a real combat jet. Students learn fighter-jet skills on the Hawk before moving to expensive jets like the Eurofighter Typhoon or American F-15.

Who are the Red Arrows?

The Red Arrows are the Royal Air Force's aerobatic display team. They fly bright red Hawk jets in close formation, doing loops, rolls, and other stunts. The team performs at airshows in Britain and around the world. The Red Arrows have been flying Hawks since 1980, making the team one of the longest users of the Hawk.

How is the T-45 Goshawk different?

The American Navy's T-45 Goshawk is a Hawk modified to land on aircraft carriers. It has a stronger landing gear, a tail-hook to catch arresting wires, and a stronger body to take carrier landings. The T-45 trains Navy pilots who will fly F/A-18 Super Hornets and F-35Cs from carriers.

Variants

Hawk T1 / T1A (RAF, 1976)
Original 1976 RAF production variant powered by the Adour Mk 151. About 150 delivered to the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, forming the backbone of UK fast-jet training through the 2000s.
Hawk T1W (RAF weapons trainer)
Improved RAF variant cleared for weapons training and AIM-9 Sidewinder carriage. Used for UK Quick Reaction Alert during the Cold War and for live-armament training.
Hawk T2 (current RAF, 2009+)
Current RAF mark introduced in 2009. Adour Mk 951 engine, glass cockpit, and refreshed mission systems. 28 delivered, and now the principal RAF fast-jet trainer.
Hawk Mk 100 series (export attack variants)
Light-combat variants for export customers. The Mk 100 family covers several national-specific builds, while the Hawk Mk 200 is a single-seat light attack derivative with a different mission profile from the dedicated trainers.
Boeing T-45 Goshawk (USN carrier-trainer variant)
Heavily reworked U.S. Navy carrier-trainer with strengthened airframe for catapult launches and arrested landings, updated cockpit, and U.S. Navy-specific mission systems. 187 delivered to the U.S. Navy. See the separate T-45 Goshawk entry.
Hawk Mk 100 / Mk 200 / Mk 132 (modern export)
Current export marks. The Hawk Mk 132 for Indian Air Force and Indian Navy is the largest active export variant, with 123 in service.

Notable Operators

Royal Air Force
Primary U.K. operator. Around 75 Hawk T2 are in active service, replacing earlier Hawk T1s. Operating units include 4 Squadron and 25 Squadron, both at RAF Valley (Anglesey, Wales) — the premier RAF fast-jet training base. The 'Red Arrows' fly nine Hawk T1s, originally from RAF Scampton (Lincolnshire, until 2022) and now from RAF Waddington.
Royal Navy
About 20 Hawk T1 in Royal Navy service for naval pilot training, operating with Royal Navy training squadrons.
U.S. Navy (Boeing T-45 Goshawk)
187 T-45 Goshawk in U.S. Navy service, flown by Training Air Wings TW-1 (NAS Meridian, Mississippi) and TW-2 (NAS Kingsville, Texas) for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps strike-fighter pilot training. Covered in a separate dedicated entry.
Indian Air Force / Indian Navy (Hawk Mk 132)
Major export customer with 123 Hawk Mk 132 in service across Indian Air Force and Indian Navy fast-jet training units — the largest current Hawk family operator outside the U.K. and U.S.
Other foreign operators (~25 nations)
Indonesia (Hawk Mk 53 / 109), Saudi Arabia (Hawk Mk 65 / 65A), Australia (Hawk Mk 127 LIF), Canada (CT-155 Hawk), South Korea (Hawk T1, prior to KAI T-50), Bahrain, Brunei, Finland, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, South Africa, Switzerland, UAE, Zimbabwe and others. The blend of fast-jet handling, light-strike load-out and low acquisition cost has driven global adoption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 'Red Arrows'?

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, formed in 1965, currently flying nine BAE Systems Hawk T1 aircraft. The Red Arrows are among the world's best-known aerobatic display teams, performing 90 to 100 displays per year at U.K. and international air shows. Their red Hawks trailing white smoke are an iconic symbol of British military aviation. The team operates from RAF Waddington (Lincolnshire), and their routines include the Diamond Nine formation and Synchro-Pair opposing manoeuvres, among other set pieces. Transition from the ageing Hawk T1 to the Hawk T2 — or to a successor type — is under U.K. defence-budget review as the current T1 fleet reaches service-life limits.

How does Hawk differ from T-45 Goshawk?

The U.S. Navy modifications run deep. The Boeing T-45 Goshawk is a carrier-trainer with a strengthened airframe for catapult launches and arrested landings, an updated cockpit and mission systems, and U.S. Navy-specific equipment. The RAF Hawk is the standard training and light-combat variant. Although both trace their lineage to the same airframe, carrier qualification reworks roughly 30% of the basic structure, leaving the two aircraft mission-distinct despite their shared design heritage.

What weapons can Hawk carry?

Export attack variants — the Hawk Mk 100, Mk 132 and Mk 200 series — can carry the 30mm ADEN cannon in a gun pod, AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for air-defence configurations, 70mm rocket pods, Mk-80 series bombs (Mk-82, Mk-83), AGM-65 Maverick in limited carriage, and other light stores. Maximum payload is around 6,800 lb across the five external hardpoints. RAF Hawk T1 and T2 trainers do not carry live ordnance but are cleared for weapons-training drills with student pilots. Several international operators employ the platform for light-strike and counter-insurgency missions.

How many Hawks have been built?

More than 1,000 across all variants. RAF and RN total roughly 150 Hawk T1 plus 28 Hawk T2; the U.S. Navy received 187 T-45 Goshawk; Indian Air Force and Indian Navy fly 123 Hawk Mk 132; Saudi Arabia took 70; and other export customers account for over 450 airframes. Production runs from BAE Systems' Brough and Warton plants in England together with international partner facilities. Output today is sustained at 10 to 20 aircraft per year, reflecting continued demand from existing operators.

Will Hawk be replaced?

The Royal Air Force is studying long-term replacement options. The Hawk T1 fleet has reached service-life limits; the Hawk T2, in service since 2009, is expected to continue beyond 2030. Options under consideration include continued Hawk T2 production, procurement of an indigenous U.K. trainer (no current programme exists), and procurement of the Boeing-Saab T-7 Red Hawk now entering U.S. Air Force service. The Red Arrows transition is being studied separately. No replacement programme has yet been confirmed, and current plans see the Hawk T2 continuing past 2030.

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