Originally Posted by
bobward
Maybe someone will buy up all those Hawks that we are going to phase out next year. They can't all be earmarked for the Reds surely??
Let's not forget both the hours and number of landings that the airframes have accumulated over 43 years. This early withdrawal allows RAFAT to inherit the 20+ airframes that have below 8,500hrs/lower number of landings enabling them to reach OSD of 2030 without exceeding 10,000hrs that has historically been of concern within the annual safety statement signed off by ODHs.
As an adversary platform it adds minimal value and despite many papers written to offer modest upgrades (DRFM jammer or Airborne Radar Simulator in the Aden cannon body to name one) none were ever taken forward as electrical power generation was an issue and there was never any money!
As for what's next? Ask the customer, for which I'm sure the default answer will be 35-45K, M1.2, E-Scan or modern M-Scan, IRST, RWR, Data Link, Jamming, Target Handoff, HOBS Capability etc etc etc. Which means they'll get an Alpha Jet E.
