BAE, Rolls-Royce clinch billion dollar Hawk order in India
NEW DEHLI:
BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce clinched on Wednesday deals worth a combined 1.1 billion dollars to supply 57 Hawk jets and engines to India, boosting their presence in the nation’s vast defence market.
The agreements were sealed with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) at the state-run defence unit’s headquarters in the southern city of Bangalore in the presence of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has said he wants to make boosting trade the main focus of British foreign policy.
Cameron called the agreements “an outstanding example of India-UK defence and industrial partnership” and said it would bring “significant economic benefits” to both countries.
India had ordered 66 Hawk trainer jets from BAE in 2004 in a 1.45-billion-dollar deal and Wednesday’s follow-up agreements were the high point of a raft of bilateral trade pacts to be signed during Cameron’s visit.
The 500 million pound accord for 57 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT) “highlights the importance of BAE Systems’ strategic development of India as a home market”, Guy Griffiths, London-based BAE’s international group managing director said in a statement.
Rolls-Royce announced separately it had finalised a 200-million-pound contract to supply Adour engines for Hawks.
Hindustan Aeronautics and Rolls-Royce, whose engineering cooperation relationship dates back to 1956, will co-produce the engines. The Hawk AJT, which BAE bills as the world’s most advanced jet training aircraft, allows the military to prepare pilots for the most modern fighter aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and Sukhoi SU-30.
Indian pilots will use the Hawks to train for the Indian military’s Russian fighter planes, along with a planned 126 combat planes that New Delhi aims to purchase abroad.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2010.
BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce clinched on Wednesday deals worth a combined 1.1 billion dollars to supply 57 Hawk jets and engines to India, boosting their presence in the nation’s vast defence market.
The agreements were sealed with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) at the state-run defence unit’s headquarters in the southern city of Bangalore in the presence of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has said he wants to make boosting trade the main focus of British foreign policy.
Cameron called the agreements “an outstanding example of India-UK defence and industrial partnership” and said it would bring “significant economic benefits” to both countries.
India had ordered 66 Hawk trainer jets from BAE in 2004 in a 1.45-billion-dollar deal and Wednesday’s follow-up agreements were the high point of a raft of bilateral trade pacts to be signed during Cameron’s visit.
The 500 million pound accord for 57 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT) “highlights the importance of BAE Systems’ strategic development of India as a home market”, Guy Griffiths, London-based BAE’s international group managing director said in a statement.
Rolls-Royce announced separately it had finalised a 200-million-pound contract to supply Adour engines for Hawks.
Hindustan Aeronautics and Rolls-Royce, whose engineering cooperation relationship dates back to 1956, will co-produce the engines. The Hawk AJT, which BAE bills as the world’s most advanced jet training aircraft, allows the military to prepare pilots for the most modern fighter aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and Sukhoi SU-30.
Indian pilots will use the Hawks to train for the Indian military’s Russian fighter planes, along with a planned 126 combat planes that New Delhi aims to purchase abroad.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2010.