BAE Systems plans to offer the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) for the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training Family of Systems. Part of the US Air Force Advanced Pilot Training (APT) Family of Systems (commonly called the T-X system) APT aims to provide the training system for the next generation of operational pilots. It is expected to replace the aging T-38 trainers by 2017. BAE Systems intends to be the prime contractor for the program, based on its U.S. business unit. “We will pursue strategic partners in the U.S. to provide best value to the U.S. Air Force while investing in the U.S. industrial base” said Larry Prior, Executive Vice President of Service Sectors, BAE Systems.
Since the current Hawk AJT meets the USAF requirements now, BAE Systems is confident it can achieve this goal. Hawk family aircraft are already serving as F-35 lead-in trainer for the U.S. Navy, Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Hawk AJT now entering service with the Royal Air Force has evolved from the Hawk aircraft, of which over 900 aircraft were built and delivered across 18 countries, flying more than 2.5 million flying hours.
Warfare of the future is not just about flying the aircraft, but about understanding, processing and reacting correctly to the quantity of information available in the cockpit. To introduce the pilot to these advanced cockpit environment, the latest configuration of the Hawk integrates live jet training with a high-fidelity virtual environment to support the development of pilots. The system also includes advanced aircraft avionics, a fully integrated training environment, instructor debrief features and other capabilities enabling pilots to train effectively in a synthetic environment and allows them to train in the same way they fight, including multi-engagement scenarios, complex combat situations, intercepts, data-link operations and the use of synthetic sensors.
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