By IANS
London : Flying instructors of the Indian Air Force (IAF) are being trained on the first generation of Hawk jets built by BAE in Brough in north-east England as part of a 1 billion pound contract with India.
Under the contract agreed in 2003, 24 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) will be supplied to the IAF. The IAF instructors are currently learning to fly the jets that will be used to train the next generation of Indian pilots.
Two courses of six IAF instructors are undergoing training at RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales and Warton in Lancashire. They will then train future IAF pilots. About 75 pilots have already started using the aircraft in a training programme run jointly by BAE Systems and the RAF.
Rod Harrison, Hawk India flying training manager, told the Hull Daily Mail: "It's an exciting step forward for the pilots and by training in the world's leading advanced jet trainer the pilots couldn't be better prepared for frontline aircraft.
"We have been training 75 IAF student pilots throughout the course of the India Interim Flying Training programme, which ends in May 2008. These pilots have been training on the RAF TMk1 Hawks. This next stage of training sees experienced instructors introduced to Indian Hawk AJTs."
The instructors are using three Hawks that were built in Brough as part of the contract for 66 jets. As well as the 24 built by BAE Systems, another 42 are being built under licence in Bangalore through a partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The rigorous convex flying programme begins with ground school training before sorties in a flight simulator. Instructors are then put through sea survival training and familiarised with the jet's electronics system before starting flight training.
Each IAF instructor will fly 15 sorties in the Hawks before qualifying. About 50 trainee pilots have already completed a course run by BAE Systems and the RAF. It includes being thrown from a boat in the North Sea and spending a night in the Welsh mountains with only a parachute to keep warm.
Dave Corfield, Hawk India project director, said: "I've had several meetings with senior IAF personnel and they've had a lot of positive things to say."