KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN CONTRACTS WITH BAE SYSTEMS FOR FINAL PHASES OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL INCLUDING HAWK AIRCRAFT

Following the announcement made in July 2002 during the Farnborough International Air Show by His Majesty the King, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, The Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) has today announced that it has contracted with BAE SYSTEMS for the supply of Hawk Advanced Jet Training aircraft, together with the necessary synthetics and simulators to provide a complete indigenous flying school in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The contract is constituted under a Government-to-Government memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which underpins the close relationship between the two nations, and particularly between the Royal Bahrain Air Force (RBAF) and the Royal Air Force. It forms the final part of a four-phase approach to flying training, comprising pilot selection, basic flying training in Slingsby Firefly aircraft, synthetics and simulation, ultimately leading to Hawk Jet Advanced Flying Training (AFT).

BAE SYSTEMS Managing Director, Middle East, Simon Keith, said "BAE SYSTEMS is delighted that the Kingdom of Bahrain has selected the world's leading Jet Training Aircraft for the advanced training phases of the RBAF Flying Training School, and becomes the fifth user of Hawk aircraft in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC)�.