The Indian Navy received the first Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-built Hawk Mk 132 aircraft on Monday.
The handing over event held at HAL’s Aircraft Division here saw Vice Admiral and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Pradeep K Chatterjee, receiving the documents.
This is the first of the 17 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers HAL will deliver to the Navy in phases. The Indian Navy becomes the third naval operator of the Hawk, along with the US Navy and the Royal Navy. The 17 Hawk aircraft ordered by the Indian Navy form part of a contract for 57 aircraft signed in 2010, of which 40 are for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
India is the largest operator of Hawks, with 123 aircrafts ordered till date, of which over 70 have been delivered to the IAF.
In a release, HAL chairman, R K Tyagi said, the company built the naval variant of Hawk within the stipulated time.
The remaining four Hawks will be delivered this fiscal and the rest in the next three years.
Chatterjee said the Navy and HAL will continue to work shoulder to shoulder for all current and future programmes.
“The Hawk delivered on Monday will have a place of pride in the Navy’s fleet. Given the fruitful association with HAL we will even think of reviving past projects,” the HAL release quoted him.
In a separate release, BAE Systems, said that Hawk effectively integrates air and ground-based elements offering the most efficient and cost effective method of training pilots.
“The introduction of the Hawk to a new user marks another significant milestone in our longstanding partnership with HAL, which has established a track record operating a world class Hawk production capability. We are committed to strengthening our relationship with HAL,”Guy Griffiths, Group Managing Director (International), BAE System, said.