In a major development that could be very beneficial for the South African Air Force (SAAF), UK-based global major aerospace and defence group BAE Systems (BAES) announced on Monday that, in a joint project with Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), it had massively extended the safe flying life for late-generation Hawk lead-in fighter-trainers.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operates the Hawk Mark (Mk) 127, which BAES describes as the most advanced standard of the Hawk.
The Hawk Mk 127 was designed for a safe flying life of at least 10 000 hours, but a combined BAES/DSTO major structural test programme on a specially modified example has extended this to 50 000 flying hours. This means that the RAAF will be able to operate its Hawks for decades to come....MORE