The BAe Hawk is a military aircraft designed by British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) in the early 1970s. Initially intended for training, it was derived from versions suitable for ground attack or air defense missions. By the early 2000s, about 700 Hawks had been produced, some of them under license, and the aircraft was used by about 15 countries.

On October 20, 1987, Switzerland signed a contract for the purchase of 20 Hawk Mk.66 and a flight simulator. The first aircraft was delivered by British Aerospace in November 1989, while the other 19 were assembled locally in Emmen. Deliveries to the Swiss Air Force took place from January 1990 to October 1991. At the end of 2002, as part of cost-cutting measures, the Hawks were withdrawn from service, even though they had only flown an average of 1000 hours each.

Cover photo credit : Sven Zimmermann