The Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract worth up to GBP 2.5 million to Inzpire Ltd to upgrade mission support systems used on the RAF Hawk T1 aircraft.
The agreement covers the provision of software to enable ‘Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast In’ capability on the Graphical Electronic Cockpit Organiser Mission Support System, known as GECO MSS, as well as ongoing support for associated tablets, base stations and software.
The work is being delivered through the UK Military Flight Training Systems Hawk Delivery Team and will amend an existing single-source defence contract with the Lincoln-based company.
According to a Voluntary Ex-Ante Transparency notice published on the government’s Find a Tender service, the upgrade will allow Hawk T1 aircraft to receive real-time positional data from other aircraft equipped with ADS-B, improving situational awareness during training sorties.
The ADS-B In capability is expected to be delivered no later than 1 July 2026.
GECO MSS is a tablet-based mission planning and cockpit support system developed by Inzpire, which owns the intellectual property for the software. The system is already installed for use on Hawk T1 aircraft and is used to support mission preparation, execution and post-flight analysis. The Ministry of Defence said the contract amendment was awarded without competition for technical reasons, as Inzpire is the original equipment manufacturer and the only company with the necessary rights and technical knowledge to modify and support the system.
The department stated that “Inzpire as the Original Equipment Manufacturer of GECO MSS is the only entity that has the necessary technical ability to provide the support and amendments to the software to deliver this capability.”
I’m amazed we are still spending on T1
I’m assuming this is driven by a comms band change due to frequency reallocations?
At least in part driven by the need to do all they can to avoid flying into other General Aviation aircraft. Many are now fitted with ADS-B equipment that tells the world where they are. A part of this upgrade will allow the T1 pilot to ‘see’ them. Seems sensible, cost is a tiny element compared to the annual training bill.
For 4 years? Or is it anticipated that they will remain in service a bit longer?
Ah, the MOD are spending money on the Hawks. I guess the rule of thumb is, if the MOD is upgrading something, it’s about to go up for sale.
I am aware that the T1 is being phased out anyway.
No Hawk T1= no Red Arrows.
I didn’t say anything about the Red Arrows. I can only imagine that a few for the RA will be held for them and spares. But the MOD when they upgrade of old systems tend to not long sell them off. E.g. Raf aldagrove, raf Linton on ooze, hms bulwark type 23s. We could get lucky and they keep them longer than the scheduled decommissioning.
The T1 is only used by the Red Arrows these days. This upgrade is for the Red Arrows fleet.
Ah, ok. My bad.
Hawk T1 went as part of the cuts that the Tories enacted around 2022.
Sentry, Sentinel, Defender, Islander, Hercules also chopped.
This saw the IAM Flight, 736 Sqn, and 100 Sqn also go who had Hawk.
👏
A pool of T1s remains for the Reds, I forget how many.
The Red Arrows have a strength of 17 aircraft. There was an article on some MOD channel by the unit sengo who was given the task of raising the establishment when 100 Sqn and CAM Flight were disbanded.
Agree, this number sounds familiar.
12
Fine, as far as it goes, but a replacement? Still a long way off I suspect, assuming Labour don’t disband Red Arrows as being too patriotic.
Has HMG said anything about scrapping the Red Arrows? Or their existence being too patriotic?
Answers: No and No.
This is just more home-grown political polemic Geoff. For me for one, this kind of stuff just undermines the substance and value of a post.
I can only say that there has been a lot of discussion here about it. Can I be confident? No, but will ahve to wait and see. Remember one of the first things Blair did when he entered no.10. Cancelled the Royal Tournament….
Beyond stupidly a decision to replace the Hawk way wat to late and now we are spending 2.5 million on the support system which is steam driven. What is the bet it doesn’t work.
In Aviation Terms £2.5 million is very small Beer.
Tell that to the tax payer, 2.5 million on something that won’t work or the airframes get pulled earlier than planned and you would call it small beer.
If it saves a life it will have paid for itself. Like insurance you hope you do not need it. In this case if it works you will never know.
I’ll be sorry to see the Hawk go. For me it always just ‘looked’ right.
I was v sorry to se the Gnats go, very capable little fighters.
Is US Navy Goshawk based on the Hawk T1? I know it was heavily modified for the USN. I think they are in the process of replacing them anyway (I will stand corrected on that one…)?
Did an AI Google search (AI has it’s uses) and got ‘Yes, the US Navy T-45 Goshawk is heavily based on the British Aerospace Hawk trainer, specifically acting as a “navalized” derivative of the Hawk family (often associated with the Mk 60 series, rather than specifically the RAF’s T1). It was redesigned by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and BAE Systems to operate from aircraft carriers, featuring a strengthened airframe, modified landing gear, an arrestor hook, and redesigned wings’
I assume this is a joke. You cannot have needed AI to ‘discover’ this.
If you already know the answer AI is a good way of getting a decent summary. Obviously it needs to be used carefully but it can be useful. So not a joke, just using a useful available tool.
But It Is rather nice to find someone here who Is not an “Expert” on absolutely every single subject posted here though.
The T1, my first, last and only ride in a jet in the 90s when we used to do the FAC course (now JTAC) and on occasion some course member’s could have a back seat ride to understand the pilot’s perspective of a control! As for the story, the T1 is a flying asset and therefore we most probably still need it despite its age (I’m getting old but still consider myself useful lol)
Cool! You went to JFACSTU at Leeming. I didn’t know that JTACs got to see the other end.
Not anymore mate, (I don’t think) years ago when there was a few more aircraft and options for the odd jolly!!! Cheers 👍