BAE Systems wins Australian Hawk upgrade deal

BAE Systems Australia has secured a AUD1.5 billion (USD1 billion) contract to extend in-service support for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) fleet of Hawk Mk 127 lead-in fighter aircraft.

The contract will run for 10 years, continuing BAE Systems’ support for the platform it built for the RAAF and delivered from the early 2000s.

“The contract will … progressively update the performance of the fast-jet combat training aircraft until 2032,” the Department of Defence (DoD) in Canberra said.

The deal covers the provision of sustainment and supply-chain services, upgrades to the Hawk’s software and hardware, and engineering support. BAE Systems Australia said the programme will also be the “foundation for progressive upgrades of mission systems”.

In addition, the contract facilitates the integration onto the RAAF aircraft of Rolls-Royce’s Mk 951 Adour engine from 2025, aligning the platform with the UK Royal Air Force’s T2 Hawk aircraft.