UK MOD ANNOUNCES ORDER FOR LATEST HAWK AIRCRAFT

The UK MoD has today selected the latest generation of Hawk aircraft, the Hawk Mk 128 as its new Advanced Jet trainer (AJT) for the 21st century. 20 Hawk Mk 128 aircraft will be ordered, with an option for up to a further 24, going into service from 2008 as replacements for some of the current Hawk TMK1s at RAF Valley.

Hawk and Brough Managing Director Mark Parkinson said, "This excellent news keeps the Hawk at the leading edge of fast jet training technology and reinforces its position as the world's most successful advanced jet trainer. We will now work hard to deliver to the MoD an aircraft that will meet all their requirements and represents value for money for the taxpayer. This decision ensures that the redundancy notice for 470 posts at BAE SYSTEMS Brough will not be exercised. We are very grateful to our employees at Brough, the trade unions and our local MPs for their support.�

The Hawk 128 is the next generation of trainer aircraft and will be used to train future fighter pilots that will fly the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Joint Strike Fighter.

The Hawk 128 is a new development from the successful Hawk family of aircraft, designed around a fully digital cockpit, open architecture computers and airborne simulation systems.

BAE SYSTEMS Chief Executive Mike Turner said "We recognise that this has been an important and difficult decision for the Government in the context of spending priorities. The UK commitment to Hawk will directly secure 2,200 jobs across BAE SYSTEMS at Brough and 70 companies within the supplier base, reflects the intent of the Government's Defence Industrial Policy issued under the authority of the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in October 2002, and will therefore be widely welcomed by the UK defence industry. We are delighted by this decision - especially for our employees at Brough who will be producing the best advanced jet trainer in the world.�