| Hawk 200 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| RMAF BAE Hawk 208 | |
| Role | Light multirole fighter Type of aircraft |
| Manufacturer | British Aerospace |
| First flight | 19 May 1986 |
| Introduction | 1986 |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | Indonesian Air Force Royal Malaysian Air Force Royal Air Force of Oman |
| Produced | 1990-2002[1] |
| Number built | 62 |
| Developed from | BAE Systems Hawk |
TheBritish Aerospace Hawk 200 is a British single-seat, single-engine, subsoniclight multirole fighter designed forair defence,air denial,anti-shipping,interdiction,close air support, andground attack. Based on theBAE Systems Hawk, Hawk 200 was developed as a dedicated combat variant of the Hawk advanced trainer family for export market.
Distinctive features of Hawk 200 as compared to other Hawk variants are the wider and pointed nose, accommodating the Northrop GrummanAN/APG-66H radar, and the shorter canopy, being the only true single-seat Hawk variant.[2]
In 1984,British Aerospace (nowBAE Systems) decided to pursue development of a combat-orientated variant of the Hawk aircraft, designated as Hawk 200; up to this point the Hawk family had been typically employed by operators as an advanced trainer with secondary combat capabilities. A single flying demonstrator aircraft was produced to support the development process. This made its first flight on 19 May 1986.[3]
Less than two months after first taking flight, the Hawk 200 demonstrator was lost in a fatal accident atDunsfold Aerodrome, killing BAe test pilot Jim Hawkins; Hawkins is alleged to have either become disoriented or to have fallen unconscious, due tog-LOC (g induced loss of consciousness), while executing high-g manoeuvres to explore the aircraft's agility.[4]
Despite the loss of the demonstrator, the company decided to proceed with the Hawk 200; by 1987, the first pre-production samples were being manufactured. In 1990, the Hawk 200 received its first order when Oman opted to procure a batch of twelveHawk 203s, all of which were delivered by 1993.[1]
The Hawk 200 is a single-seat, single enginelight multirole fighter with a small visual signature and high manoeuvrability.[5] It has a low-mountedcantilever wing and is powered by a single turbofan engine. The Hawk 200 differs from the earlier Hawks in having a new forward fuselage in which the forward cockpit area which normally houses a pilot is replaced by an electronics bay for avionics and onboard systems, including afire control computer, multi-moderadar,laser rangefinder andforward-looking infrared (FLIR).[6] The Hawk 200 also has an upgraded wing which, in addition to four wing pylons seen in previous Hawks, also has wingtip missile support as well as greater wing area, increased wing droop, largerflaps and an optionalmid-air refuelling capability.
The Hawk 200 has 7 external store points with four underwing pylons, an under-fuselage pylon, and wingtip air-to-air missile stations. The range of external stores which the aircraft can carry includesair-to-air missiles (AAM), agunpod,rocket launchers,reconnaissance pod, retarded and free-fall bombs up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg), runway cratering, anti-personnel and light armour bombs,cluster bombs (meanwhile prohibited), practice bomb and rocket carriers and external fuel tanks.[7][unreliable source?]
The Hawk 200 can launch manyNATO standard guided missiles includingAIM-9L Sidewinder AAM,ASRAAM AAM,AIM-120 AMRAAM AAM,AGM-65 Maverick AGM.[8][verification needed] The Hawk 200 can also carry a variety of bombs, including 113 kg bombs, 240 kg bombs, 540 kg bombs andPaveway II guided bombs. TheAIM-9L Sidewinder missiles are launched from the wingtip air-to-air missile stations on each wing.
The Hawk 200 is equipped with a Northrop GrummanAN/APG-66H multi-mode radar, LINS 300 ring laser gyroscopeinertial navigation system, air data sensor, display processor and mission computer. The systems are connected with a dualMIL-STD-1553B digital bus. The Hawk 200 is also equipped with aFerrantilaser rangefinder and aMarconiforward-looking infrared.[1] The self-protection systems include aBAE SkyGuardian 200RWR[9] and automatic or manualVintenchaff/flare dispensers located above the engine exhaust.[7]
The AN/APG-66 radar is asolid state medium range (up to 150 kilometres (93 mi))pulse-dopplerplanar array radar designed by theWestinghouse Electric Corporation (nowNorthrop Grumman) for theF-16 Fighting Falcon. It has ten air-to-surface and ten air-to-ground modes for navigation and weapon aiming purposes. The APG-66H variant of the radar is installed on the Hawk 200, which has a smaller antenna for slightly reduced capabilities.[citation needed]
The pilot has a hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS) control system and a wide-field-of-viewhead-up display (HUD). Using the weapon control panel, which controls the stores management system, the pilot can select the weapons and release mode prior to initiating an attack.
As in all other modernised Hawks, the Hawk 200's all-glass cockpit has amulti-functional colour display, with a dedicated processor and 15-colour graphics symbology generator. There are 27 display formats which provide flight and aircraft data. The cockpit is also compatible withnight-vision goggles.[1][7] Just outside of the cockpit is aninflight refuelling probe.
The Hawk 200 was originally powered by anAdour 871 two shaft, low bypass ratio turbofan engine fromRolls-Royce Turbomeca, providing the aircraft with 26.00 kN of thrust. In 2005, theAdour 951 engine was certified for use on the Hawk 200. The improved Adour 951 has improved performance (rated at 29.00 kN (6,520 lbf) thrust) and has up to twice the service life of the Adour Mk 871. It features an all-new fan and combustor, revised HP and LP turbines, and introduces Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC).
Both engines are non-afterburning versions of the Adour series, and are fed byair intakes on both sides of the fuselage. The internal fuel tanks are installed in thefuselage and compartmented integral tanks located in the wings, containing up to 1361 kg of fuel. Up to two 591-litre drop tanks can also be carried on the inboard underwing pylons.[8]
During the1999 East Timorese crisis, Indonesian Air Force Hawk 109s and Hawk 209s were stationed at theEl Tari Airport inKupang,West Timor to cover Indonesian military withdrawal fromEast Timor. On two occasions in September 1999, the Hawk 209s were sent to intercept Australian military aircraft. A Hawk 209 and a Hawk 109 were directed to intercept twoRAAFF/A-18 Hornets heading for Indonesian airspace on 16 September and on 23 September, two Hawk 209s were scrambled to intercept an RAAFF-111 Aardvark that flew over East and West Timor.[10]
As part of the preparation for the2003–2004 Indonesian offensive in Aceh against theFree Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist, a flight of Hawk 209 were deployed to thePolonia Airport,Medan on 15 May 2003. On the first day of the offensive on 19 May, four Hawk 209s provided air covers for an airborne landing atSultan Iskandar Muda Airport inBanda Aceh and a Marines amphibious landing inSamalanga,Bireuën Regency. The Hawk 209s also conducted show of force flight over GAM-held areas inBireuën andLhokseumawe. On 20 May, the second day of the offensive, two Hawk 209s escorted sixC-130 Hercules that were carrying troops for airborne landing inTakengon area and then provided air cover for the landing. Few hours later, two Hawk 209s were again deployed for another sortie of the same detail. The Hawk 209 flight returned to their home base atRoesmin Nurjadin Air Base,Pekanbaru on 21 May 2003. During the deployment, the Hawk 209s were armed with LAU-131/A rocket pods for2.75 in FFAR, which was shared with theOV-10 Broncos that were also based in Medan.[11]
On 5 March 2013, amidst the2013 Lahad Datu standoff, 5 Hawk 208s aircraft, along with 3F-18D Hornets of theRoyal Malaysian Air Force, were deployed in airstrikes on hideouts of the defunct sultanate and terrorist group Royal Security Forces of theSultanate of Sulu inLahad Datu,SabahMalaysia ahead of the ground assault by joint forces of theMalaysian Army andRoyal Malaysia Police.[12]
The Hawk 208s flew 15sorties, each Hawk 200 droppingMk 82 unguided bombs in the first sortie and firingCRV7 rockets at additional ground targets on the second and third.[13] A spokesman for Malaysian Prime MinisterNajib Razak said in a phone interview that the objective of the airstrikes was to "soften the ground before troops move in".[14]
Operator figures from flightglobal[15]
Data from[21]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Avionics
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
