Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) T-45 Goshawk

History of the Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) T-45 Goshawk

McDonnell Douglas/Boeing The T-45 Goshawk is a navalized version of the land-based British Aerospace (now BAe Systems) Hawk - specifically the Hawk Mk. 60 Mark. Unlike the Land-based Eagle, however, the Goshawk is used by the U.S. Navy as a carrier-based trainer. BAe Systems and McDonnell Douglas, now a subsidiary of Boeing, jointly developed the Goshawk trainer, which serves both the U.S.

Navy and USMC aviation training programs. Despite its origins in the 1990s, the T-45 is expected to enter service with the U.S. military by 2035. To date, more than 200 Goshawk airframes have been delivered.

The original BAe Systems Hawk - debuted 21 August 1974 - used by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Finland, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and the United States, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe. These typically retain their ground attack capabilities to serve as low-cost dual-role performers. Finland became the Eagle's first foreign recipient, and the aircraft also formed the stockpile of the famous RAF acrobatic team, the Red Arrows, and served as the RAF's primary jet trainer.

Switzerland started using the Eagles once in 1992, but discontinued their fleet in 2002 and sold several to Finland in 2007.

Externally, the T-45 series offers two tandem seats for students (front) and instructors (rear). The aircraft has a fairly traditional design, with excellent nose and side visibility from the front cockpit. The instructor maintains command visibility over and above the forward cockpit.

The fuselage is relatively short, with two small oval air intakes on each side for a single motor mount buried in the center of the rear of the fuselage. The wings are mounted low, swept along the leading edge and straight on the trailing edge. The fuselage ridge tapers downward to form the base of a single vertical tail, which is further complemented by a pair of horizontal swept surfaces mounted above the main wing assemblies. The engine was ejected through a ring in the rear of the hull. The chassis is fully retractable and has a tricycle arrangement.

The nasal bones retract upwards under the cockpit floor, while the main legs fold to the centerline. All landing gear legs are single wheel. Under the rear under the stabilizer feet there is a hook for catching the deck ropes.

The aircraft is powered by an Anglo-French Rolls-Royce Turbomeca F405-RR-401 turbofan engine (aka "Adour"), which provides up to 5,527 pounds of thrust. Top speed is 645 mph and range is up to 805 miles.

Service is capped at approximately 42,500 feet, with a climb rate approaching 8,000 feet per minute.

As a dedicated trainer, the Goshawk does not carry official US Navy inventory weapons, but can be equipped with ordnance loads in the form of practice bombs or rocket pods, as well as external fuel storage for longer distances. In addition to this capability, cargo holds can also be transported if desired.

By the way, the word "eagle" is related to a bird of prey.

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