USAF OA-36A FireHawk

[AeroplaneDriver]

Well my Hawk build is complete, the BAE Systems OA-36A FireHawk (my last 3 builds have had "Fire" in the name-I'm starting to think I may have pyromaniacal tendencies!).

I went with a USAF version since that is a scheme I've never seen a Hawk in.  I was tempted to go with a desert camo, but went with greys instead.  None of us are fans of modern grey airplanes, but I do think it works sometimes on a plane not normally seen that way, and I went with a camo pattern using silly putty as a mask.  It worked pretty well, and I may try it again on something else.

Armament on this model consists of a 27mm cannon under the forward fuselage (not visible in these pics, but seen in the build thread), a single Maverick, two fictional GBU-41 Low Collateral Damage 180lb PGMs, a single Sidewinder on the left wingtip, and a LANTIRN laser designator on the opposite wingtip.

The engine in the FireHawk (manufacturers designation BAE Systems Hawk 181) is the RR Adour 857 with full FADEC control producing 5,450lb thrust, giving the FireHawk a top speed of Mach 0.96 in level flight at 30,000, and 558 knots at sea level.  The Adour Mk 857 also has excellent Hot & High performance, a usefull feature in the FireHawk's first combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

So here are some pics along with a repost of the original backstory.

****************

By late 2006 the UK-US relationship was stretched to breaking point over several issues, including the F-35 program and Iraq.

On the F-35 front, a year of intense lobbying and negotiation had failed to resolve the UK's technology transfer concerns. Meanwhile France was waiting in the wings with an offer to develop Rafale for the RN with a majority UK workshare. At the same time the US defense budget, ravaged by continued civil war and insurgency in both Iraq and Afghanistan was under considerable strain. Many programs were under threat, including the massive F-35 order. Small as the UK order would be, cancellation could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Finally, in January 2007 there is a breakthrough that benefits everyone, though as with all great negotiations, there are compromises on both sides.

For the UK, the US offers an unprecedented degree of sovereignty over the UK's F-35s. Though falling short of initial UK demands, the agreement will allow indigenous UK maintenance and upgrade of the F-35 with some restrictions.

At the same time the USAF's F-35 order is cut by 25%. Faced with a conflict without a visible exit strategy in Iraq and a similar situation developing in Afghanistan, the USAF needs a capable, but cheap COIN platform. Sending F-15s and F-16s out to strike a single insurgent truck is becoming expensive, particularly as the fleet is encountering a pace of operations never foreseen and which is taking a serious toll on serviceability-in short, the Vipers and Eagles are being worn out at a time when it is increasingly obvious that they will soon be needed in Iran!



On January 30, 2007 the Pentagon announces the A-COIN program. A-COIN will be an off-the-shelf buy of an Advanced COunter INsurgency and FAC aircraft for use in low intensity conflicts such as Iraq, where there is little or no air-to-air threat, and where a cheap high performance platform is required to deploy an array of weapons, including new small bombs designed to reduce collateral casualties in urban combat.



After a brief evaluation period, the BAE Systems Hawk 130 is selected, with modifications to become the Hawk 180. There is little attempt to disguise the fact that the Hawk was the only option all along, or that the Hawk order is part of the deal securing a UK order for 90 F-35s.



The initial order for 106 OA-36A FireHawk aircraft is signed on April 09, 2007, with first delivery in November 2007.


Around the same time the UK MoD was facing challenges as the much loved Jaguar left service. The Jaguar had proved a cheap and easily deployable weapon system in several conflicts. Once it was gone the famous UK military hindsight recognized that the FireHawk may be a good platform for the RAF in operations such as Iraq and Afghanistan; it was cheap, flexible, and the operating and support infrastructure was already in place. In December 2007 BAE received the unexpected Christmas present of a second FireHawk order, this one from the MoD for 36 aircraft for the RAF (to be designated the FireHawk GR.1).



So it was that by early 2009 both the USAF and RAF were operating FireHawks in Afghanistan, Iraq, and western Iran.

[K5054NZ]

Yikes, that does look mighty sweet!   Great work Nick!

[Bryan H.]

WOW!  She's a beaut!   B) Great story, too!  I bet those little FireHawks would sell well to many countries...  Philippines, Bolivia, Mexico, Portugal, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Afghanistan, Iraq, New Zealand...  

Maybe, BAe could put together a single-seat FireHawk for countries looking for a modern (relatively simple & easy to use/maintain) high-performance light multi-role fighter/attacker to replace their F-5's, MiG-21's, A-4's, early model F-16's, Mirage III/5/F1's.  They'd maximize their design work, manufacturing facilities, marketing effort and have an additional product to offer with relatively little effort.  The FireHawk (Hawk 180/280) combo might be very popular, especially with smaller air forces.

Bryan  

[Captain Canada]

Some of us don't like grey, but when it's done right, that's another story !


Great job, Nick ! I'm glad you went with the US version, completely different. Not sure about the pod on the wingtip, tho. It'd look better with another 'winder there and throw that on the centreline pylon.

What i do like are those hommade GBU-41s. They look wicked !

[K5054NZ]

Wouldn't mind seeing a Kiwi one, but I imagine quite a ot of work has gone into this one, so I won't push you.













DO IT!

[Brian da Basher]

Nice FireHawk there AD! Your backstory makes it sound completely plausible, and your build sure makes it look like the U.S.A.F. has already started deploying them. Excellent work, sir!

Brian da Basher

[AeroplaneDriver]

Capn Canada-I had planned to stick a fuel tank on the centerline, and had planned for a wingtip laser from the start, so when I left the tank off I never even considered moving the designator there, but now that I look at it, that probably would look better.  I may tinker a bit tomorrow and stick the laser underneath and another Sidewinder on the other wing.

Zac-I have another Hawk 100 in the stash, and I think maybe a Kiwi FireHawk in various shades of green for the 2012 war against the extremist Islamic government of Indonesia may be a good future build.

[BlackOps]

That is just straight up kickass!!!

Very Very Nice.



Jeff G.

[K5054NZ]

Zac-I have another Hawk 100 in the stash, and I think maybe a Kiwi FireHawk in various shades of green for the 2012 war against the extremist Islamic government of Indonesia may be a good future build.

     


Cool! ^_^ Can't wait!

[NARSES2]

Now that looks nice

[Radish]

What a belter.....the inspiration I needed to complete my first Airfix 1/48th Hawk.
shouldn't it be an OA-46 though, as the Goshawk is the T-46?

Great though!!
Love it              

[cthulhu77]

Hey now.  As stated above, grey is usually boring, but oh holy mackerel, that is one heck of a great looking jet !  Off kilter, and wonderful.  
   Really well done.

             greg

[AeroplaneDriver]

What a belter.....the inspiration I needed to complete my first Airfix 1/48th Hawk.
shouldn't it be an OA-46 though, as the Goshawk is the T-46?

Great though!!
Love it            

Actually the Goshawk is the T-45.  I thought about OA-45, but figured it's a very different aircraft, different service, etc so they would just stick it inline with the current numbers.

[John Howling Mouse]

AD, you are one very talented modeller!  These are keeper images for sure!

     

[lancer]

That is brilliant Nick.