Work starts on South African Hawk upgrade

31/03/11 By Craig Hoyle Flight International

Work has started under a project to provide the South African Air Force's Hawk 120 advanced jet trainers with upgraded navigation equipment and simulated weapons functionality. Eight aircraft are receiving the "operational capability 4" package of enhancements at the air force's Makhado air base. A key element of the work will be the introduction of new software to simulate the use of infrared- and radar-guided missiles, says BAE. A joint effort with local partner Advanced Technologies and Engineering, the upgrade "enables the Hawk 120 to share simulated radar data across multiple platforms", says BAE. This will enable the type to be used more effectively by students during training sorties, including those flown alongside South Africa's new frontline fighter, the Saab Gripen. "Integrating these upgrades on to the South African Air Force's Hawks will significantly enhance the training capability of the aircraft," says Mike Swales, BAE's international training director. Work to modify the remainder of South Africa's Hawk fleet should be completed before the end of this year. The nation's air force has 24 of the type, as listed in Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.