Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Acknowledged
Failure to capitalise on Hawk success led to loss of UK manufacturing capacity.
Conclusion
The Hawk trainer aircraft has been a UK defence export success story, but with domestic production lines closing four years ago the skills and manufacturing capacity which had built up over decades will prove challenging and costly to regenerate. We recognise that innovative training solutions, including modular aircraft and synthetics, may offer new opportunities for industry; but we find the failure to capitalise on the success of Hawk remarkably short-sighted and deeply regrettable. (Conclusion, Paragraph 82) Workforce and industrial capacity
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges that further investment is needed for the Hawk T2 to meet its 2040 out-of-service date and is currently assessing alternative options for the program.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Programme of Record for Hawk T2 was for an out of service date (OSD) of 2040, which allowed for time potentially to design and build a follow- on successor for Hawk in the Advanced Jet Training role. However, recent events have led to an investigation of Hawk output and likely performance to that OSD. It has been assessed that further investment will be required for Hawk T2 to make an OSD of 2040, and alternative options to the Programme of Record are being assessed to ensure the best outcomes for Defence.