Defence minister Maria Eagle confirmed to Parliament {that a} competitors shall be opened to switch the venerable British-designed coaching jet, additionally utilized by the Purple Arrows show workforce.
The advice to obtain a brand new “cost-effective quick jet coach” to switch the Hawk was included within the UK Strategic Defence Overview, launched in early June, however a press release made in Parliament – coinciding with a go to by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to RAF Valley – has change into our first affirmation that wheels are in movement on the substitute programme.
Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Business Maria Eagle, responding to a query from a fellow Member of Parliament (MP), confirmed that “The strategic defence evaluation advisable that the Hawk T1 and T2 get replaced with an economical superior jet coach. The longer term platform of the Royal Air Power aerobatic workforce is being thought-about on the similar time, and a Royal Air Power programme workforce is being established to ship that functionality.”
She added, in response to a observe up query from one other MP: “I guarantee him that the competitors will welcome any bids from UK-based suppliers.” This confirms {that a} competitors is deliberate for the collection of an plane sort.
Right now, the timeframe for this competitors to happen is unknown, and is more likely to have but to be definitively confirmed even throughout the service. The Hawk T2’s earlier out of service date (OSD) was scheduled to be 2040, however points with reliability led to then Chief of the Air Employees, Air Chief Marshal Sir Wealthy Knighton, saying “Talking fairly frankly, I want to change the Hawk T2 as quickly as we will, to ship a extra trendy, extra dependable, larger capability” in 2024.
Knighton mentioned the armed forces had been getting roughly half as a lot use out of the Hawk T2 airframes than could be desired. Notably, ACM Wealthy Knighton is now, as of Jun. 27, 2025, subsequent in line to change into the UK’s Chief of the Defence Employees (CDS). CDS is the very best rating member of the UK armed forces, and reviews on to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister. Knighton will assume this position from September 2025.
In the course of the Prime Minister’s aforementioned go to to RAF Valley, dwelling of the Royal Air Power’s Hawk T2s, he talked about that discussions had taken place with personnel on the station relating to substitute plane.
We requested the Prime Minister: will Hawk jet coaching be revised – and are replacements on the horizon?
Sir Keir Starmer shared his ideas throughout a go to to RAF Valley, the place he met with trainee fighter pilots.
🔗👉 pic.twitter.com/LvpufKiXqh
— BFBS Forces Information (@ForcesNews) June 30, 2025
The Hawk T2 has been used as a complicated jet coach for RAF pilots since 2012, and absolutely assumed all duties on this position in 2016 with the disbandment of Hawk T1-equipped 208 Squadron. The T1 remained in service with aggressor squadrons 100 Squadron and 736 Naval Air Squadron, in addition to the RAF Centre for Aviation Drugs (RAFCAM) till 2022.
From 2022, all Hawk T1 operations had been folded into the Purple Arrows, with the workforce now additionally answerable for all remaining Hawk T1 testing, trials, and coaching. Hawk T1’s present deliberate OSD is 2030, and the service believes there’s enough airframe life among the many fleet to see them by means of to this date.
Hawk T1s first entered RAF service in 1976. The Hawk T2, internally designated by the producer as Hawk 128, took the fundamental Hawk design and constructed on export variants that had been produced for various nations to create a modernised jet coach extra reminiscent for pilots of present frontline plane just like the Storm. Solely round 10% of components are frequent between the 2 variants.
Contenders
The marketplace for superior jet trainers has change into increasingly more saturated as particular person nations have taken on the duty of manufacturing their very own home-grown designs, which sit together with merchandise from business giants in the US and Europe.
Within the U.S. Air Power, the jet coach position at present fulfilled by the Northrop T-38 Talon shall be assumed by the Boeing-Saab T-7A Purple Hawk. No evaluation of the choices accessible could be full with out the Purple Hawk’s inclusion, though a UK adoption would appear unlikely for various causes. Except for delays pushing again full entry into service, the plane’s use of an afterburning turbofan to offer the USAF requirement of supersonic flight provides vital expense and complexity to the upkeep and operation of the plane.
The RAF, together with many different air arms, have shied away from this degree of efficiency of their jet trainers. With no stable UK associate, it’s also unlikely any vital a part of the manufacturing course of may very well be accomplished domestically within the UK, making it a extra unattractive prospect from political and financial standpoints.
Powered by the identical F404 engine, the Turkish Hürjet has nonetheless seen export success in Europe with Spain signing on for twenty-four of the jets. Rising defence business cooperation between Turkey and the UK makes this a extra attention-grabbing contender, although, in contrast to Spain, the UK couldn’t depend on present expertise and provide chains for the F404 engine, which can also be utilized in Spain’s F/A-18 Hornets.
Leonardo gives each the M-345 and M-346 trainers. The M-345 is meant as a extra fundamental coach, whereas M-346 gives larger efficiency with twin engines and an improved potential to be employed as a light-weight frontline fighter. Leonardo has a big presence within the UK, with Leonardo Helicopters nonetheless working from the Yeovil facility traditionally utilized by Westland, after which AgustaWestland, so there’s a extra vital prospect of UK manufacturing involvement to some extent.
An M-345 plane in truth arrived at MoD Boscombe Down, the UK’s centre for navy plane trials and testing, in late Might. Supposedly this go to is for airframe analysis, though no official remark has been obvious.
Arguably, the M-346 could be the extra appropriate providing for the RAF, already being utilized in Italy as a lead-in coach for the Storm and F-35. RAF pilots have already undertaken coaching programs utilizing the plane as a part of the Worldwide Flight Coaching College (IFTS) in Decimomannu, Italy. Moreover, as there’s the requirement to switch the aerobatic plane of the Purple Arrows show workforce, the RAF may observe the reversal of the Italian Air Power’s determination to equip their Frecce Tricolori workforce with M-345s, and as a substitute go for the M-346.
Enter Aeralis
Aeralis, a British firm, is seen as a robust contender to construct the Hawk’s successor. The corporate has but to provide an plane, however has been engaged on its Superior Jet Coach proposal with UK Authorities funding for various years. Aiming for a modular design, Aeralis hopes {that a} frequent plane design may very well be utilized in quite a lot of roles with comparatively minor airframe reconfigurations permitting tailoring for various duties.
Nonetheless, with no prototype but in flight, a safe order obtained now would nonetheless probably not lead to operational airframes earlier than the tip of the last decade.
The place Aeralis has a robust edge is in its provenance as a wholly British airframe, that means all design, growth, and manufacturing may very well be saved throughout the UK. For this procurement, this isn’t solely necessary from an financial and political standpoint, however as some extent of status and promoting for British business – the Purple Arrows have at all times flown British plane and acted as a worldwide ambassador for the British aerospace sector.
There may be the potential for a maritime variant appropriate with the Queen Elizabeth class plane carriers to be developed. This is able to probably be a catapult and arrester wire appropriate design, profiting from proposed modifications to the carriers to permit the operation of a larger number of unmanned platforms.
Whereas these modifications are unlikely to lead to a CATOBAR format able to sustained operations with closely laden provider plane just like the F-35C Lightning II, the Superior Jet Coach’s measurement and weight would probably be extra akin to bigger kinds of drones.
The RN has formidable plans for the QEC plane carriers and the Future Maritime Aviation Power (FMAF) pic.twitter.com/OllUggo3km
— Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) June 3, 2023
Aeralis has agreements in place with various main business companions within the UK, and has earmarked a number of areas for potential manufacturing services. Gosport, close to Portsmouth, and Prestwick, Scotland, are two notable contenders receiving media consideration. Funding throughout the UK will current a extra favorable case to the Treasury, because it means though upfront prices could also be greater there’s a greater likelihood of the cash staying throughout the UK’s financial system.
All of those elements, and extra, will have to be thought-about by the RAF programme workforce forward of the official launch of requests for proposals and tenders, which is able to element the precise necessities extra absolutely.
