Hawk Aircraft
Since entering service with the Royal Air Force in 1976, the Hawk has established an unrivalled reputation as a fast jet trainer and its success is reflected in sales to 18 customers worldwide. Most recently, Canada and South Africa selected Hawk to meet the fighter trainer requirements of their respective armed forces. Hawk operates in extreme environments that range from Finland in the Arctic Circle to Saudi Arabia in the arid Middle East and Malaysia in the Tropics. By any standard the Hawk is the world's most successful fast jet trainer. From every standpoint it outclasses the opposition.

Hawk 100

The Hawk 100 series retains the highly-acclaimed design qualities of the original Hawk trainer. The raised rear cockpit combines excellent forward visibility for the instructor, with the capability to demonstrate all of the aircraft's functions to the student pilot in the front seat. It excels as an advanced flight trainer and operational aircraft. The Hawk 100 has also been developed into an advanced weapon systems trainer with enhanced ground attack capability. It introduces pilots to modern combat avionic systems with multi-purpose displays linked to an avionic/weapons systems digital databus. A high performance navigation system and head-up display/weapon aiming computer are combined with a forward looking infra-red (FLIR) sensor and laser rangefinder to give a highly accurate poor weather and night operational capability. Pilot workload is reduced by hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) controls for the selection of weapons, sensors and defensive aids.

 

19R Squadron

100 Squadron

208 Squadron

The Red Arrows' Aircraft
The Red Arrows operate 12 Hawk 1/1a aircraft, as follows:

XX179 - Joined the Team in April 2002
XX227 - Founder aircraft (with the Team since 1980)
XX233 - Joined the Team in 1988 from 4FTS
XX237 - First used by Reds in 1985
XX242 - Joined the Team in 2003 from RAF Valley and due for modification to
full RAFAT standard in 2004
XX253 - Founder aircraft
XX260 - Founder aircraft
XX264 - Founder aircraft
XX266 - Founder aircraft
XX292 - Joined the Team in 1996 from 4FTS
XX294 - Joined the Team in 1988 from 4FTS
XX306 - Founder aircraft
XX307 - Joined the Team in 1996 from HQ CFS (Replaced by XX179)
XX308 - Joined the Team in 1985