£372M support for Hawk training aircraft secures 700 jobs

The MOD has committed £372M for the continued in-service support of Hawk fast jet training aircraft, securing 700 jobs.

The Ministry of Defence has committed £372M across four contracts for the continued in-service support of Hawk fast jet training aircraft, securing around 700 UK jobs until 2020.

The five year support contracts will provide a range of services to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force’s Hawk aircraft at bases across the country including Wales, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Somerset and Cornwall.

The fleet of Hawk TMk1 and TMk2 are used by the UK armed forces for military flying training prior to conversion onto the frontline fast jet aircraft, and for a variety of other Royal Navy and Royal Air Force training requirements.

The Red Arrows, one of the world’s premier aerobatic display teams, also use the aircraft.

Minister for Defence Procurement Philip Dunne said: “The Hawk is a world-class training aircraft for our future fast jet aircrew. Pilots currently flying Typhoons and Tornados with such precision targeting Daesh in Iraq and Syria to keep Britain safe first learnt their skills in the Hawk. It will also be used to train the pilots that will fly our new F-35s, some of the most advanced aircraft in the world.

“The contracts to support these vital training aircraft are a boost to British industry, sustaining hundreds of jobs across the UK – all made possible by our growing Defence budget and our £178Bn investment in buying and maintaining the best possible kit for our Armed Forces.”

Contracts worth almost £300M have been awarded to BAE Systems, who will give advice on design and modification and obsolescence management, with the main support service hub being RAF Valley in Anglesey, working with its maintenance partner, Babcock.

Around 470 people are based at RAF Valley, 65 at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire and 55 at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall. It also has 65 people based at Brough in East Riding of Yorkshire and around another 20 across its sites in Warton and Samlesbury in Lancashire.

Rolls Royce have been awarded a £70M contract to provide support for “Adour” engines which power the Hark Aircraft, with testing, repairs and overhauls taking place at RAF Valley and in Filton, Bristol sustaining 40 jobs across both sites.

 

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