Indian Hawks by '07

The first of the assembled-in-India Hawk 132 jet trainer for the Indian Air Force will be available by 2007, aircraft's maker BAe Systems' officials told reporters here.

Last year, India signed a $1.45 billion deal to buy 66 Hawks, 22 of which will come as 'fly away' aircraft, produced at the UK firm's plants, and the rest to be assembled by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The first Hawk will be flown by the IAF by end 2006 and is expected to be accepted by India in early 2007 and we hope to bring it in the next air show," John Day, senior adviser to BAe Systems said.

On Tuesdy, India's chief of air staff, air chief marshal S P Tyagi flew the twin seater aircraft, at a dress rehearsal of Aero India air show, at the Yelahanka air base here.

"It is 20 years (since negotiations started) and the aircraft has the same qualities as we thought," Tyagi said. "All these years we have been flying without the Hawks. This will definitely improve the training of the pilots," he said.

BAe Systems India's executive VP Mike Armstrong said the company was training 20 IAF pilots in the UK and another 50 would be trained too. Some 195 Hawks are used in 10 countries and the company has an order for 110 Hawks to be delivered in future.