The initial batch of intensively-flown Hawk aircraft were put through a major structural reinforcement programme by the company in the late 1990s.
When Finland added to its fleet by purchasing 18 low-hour Mk 66 aircraft from Switzerland in 2007, teams from Patria brought the disassembled aircraft across, inspected and reassembled them, and installed upgraded cockpits. On the engine side, Patria’s teams have also upgraded the Adour engine’s combustion chambers to the later Mk 861 standard. A further aircraft modification programme and cockpit upgrade began in 2015, designed to make the Finnish Hawks the best possible stepping stone for pilots who will fly the country’s new future combat aircraft when in enters service in the next decade.
This level of autonomy brings tangible benefits to the customer, as Antti Salmela, Patria’s Sales Manager, explains: “To be able support our armed forces independently during crisis times, we need to maintain capabilities and competences critical to security of supply available at all times. In some cases, these competences include resources from the Finnish science community such as technical universities and Technical Research Centre. Through establishing this domestic capability, you can have a positive effect on availability and the cost of operation.”
Patria’s philosophy of self-sufficiency and capability enhancement mirrors that of their customer, the Finnish Air Force. The level of partnership and mutual reliance is akin to that of the Hawk and the Adour.