DENEL DELIVERS FIRST HAWK TAIL TO UK

THE aviation wing of South African arms manufacturer Denel has delivered the first locally built tail section of the Hawk lead-in fighter trainer plane to Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF). Denel said it was also on schedule to deliver the second Hawk tail before the end of November 2000, which would be fitted to one of the RAF’s Red Arrows display aircraft. The tailplane contract with Denel Aviation forms part of a strategic agreement signed in March this year in which Saab and BAE Systems committed to placing R3.5bn rand of industrial activity with Denel over the next 11 years. The tailplane contract tasks Denel to make a total of 46 Hawk tails for the RAF lead-in fighter jet trainers over the next 30 months. – Reuters