BAE Systems, Hindustan Aeronautics Sign Pact For Hawk Trainer Jets

28th Jul 2010 11:00

BANGALORE (Dow Jones)--U.K.'s BAE Systems PLC (BA.LN) has signed a deal worth more than GBP500 million to sell an additional 57 Hawk trainer jets to India for its air force and navy, said the head of its local unit Wednesday. "We have given a permanent license to HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.) to build the Hawk," Andrew Gallagher, managing director and chief executive of BAE Systems in India told reporters. India's Hindustan Aeronautics is a state-run company. India ordered 66 Hawk advanced jet trainers in 2004 for $1.45 billion for its air force. The country wants to buy more Hawk trainers to better train its pilots for flying supersonic combat jets such as the Sukhoi-30MKI and Jaguar. The Hawk, which can also be used as a combat aircraft, can fly at a maximum speed of 1.2 times the speed of sound. More than 900 Hawk jets are currently in operation or have been ordered by 18 customers worldwide, according to BAE. -By Dhanya Ann Thoppil, Dow Jones Newswires; +91-9967586928; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 28, 2010 06:00 ET (10:00 GMT)