Tuesday, May 24 2005 09:43 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

RAF Valley (Wales, UK): The Advance Jet Trainer, Hawk, being acquired by India from the UK can be used as a combat aircraft though primarily it is for training of pilots, a top Indian Air Force official has said.

"To the best of my knowledge it (the 790 million pounds deal with the British Aerospace Systems, manufacturers of AJT Hawk), does not exclude use of Hawk as a combat aircraft. This is a training aircraft and not an ideal war plane," Air Marshal Subhash Bhojwani told newsmen in RAF Valley last evening (May 23, 2005).

A spokesman of the BAE Systems, however, insisted "the aircraft cannot be used for anything except for training purposes."

The Air Marshal, who was present on the occasion when Prince Charles presented the graduation certificates to the first batch of six Indian Air Force flying officers on successful completion of their 11-month course in the trainer aircraft, noted that the question of using Hawk as a combat aircraft could arise only in the worst scenario case.

Prince Charles presented a unique painting of a Hawk plane with the RAF Valley in the background to Bhojwani.

Replying another question, the Air Marshal said India has got the latest model, the most advanced model of the Hawk.

"The model we got is the latest and ahead by a dozen years over models received by others," he said.

Dave Corfield, project director - India AJT, said the calibre of Indian pilots who had undergone training in RAF Valley and who are getting training was "very very good."