Malaysian firm building additional Hawk aircraft pylons

LONDON, March 19 (UPI) -- Additional pylons for BAE Systems' Hawk advanced jet aircraft trainer are to be manufactured in Malaysia by SME Aerospace.

BAE Systems, which did not disclose the value of the award, said the award is for 16 inboard and 16 outboard pylons for a key export customer.

"This is a further example of the excellent work being carried out in Malaysia's aerospace industry," said John Brosnan, managing director, South East Asia, BAE Systems. "SME Aerospace has an excellent track record in manufacturing pylons for Hawk aircraft and we are pleased with the continued manufacture and export of this key component by Malaysian industry.

"Industrial partnerships form an important part of our strategy and we look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with Malaysia."

The Hawk is a single-engine trainer aircraft flown by about a dozen countries. It has a maximum speed of 638 miles per hour at altitude, a ceiling of more than 44,000 feet and a range of 1,565 miles.

SME Aerospace has built some 600 pylons for the aircraft and its variants since 1992 at its factory in Sungai Buloh, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"We have been working with BAE Systems for a number of years and the award of this contract for Hawk pylons further demonstrates our long and successful relationship," said Dave Davies, SME Aerospace's chief executive officer. "BAE Systems has been an important partner and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them."