The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said the Royal Air Force (RAF) will begin the instructor training of Hawk Tmk2 aircraft from mid 2010, following the completion of its phased arrival, at the RAF Valley on Anglesey, North Wales.

The next generation of the UK MoD’s combat training with the Hawk Tmk2 has begun.

BAE Systems will deliver a total of 28 Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) aircraft, known to the RAF as the Hawk TMk2, under a £450m ($743m) contract signed with the MoD.

RAF will use the TMk2 aircraft to train its pilots to handle current and future-generation military jets such as the Typhoon and F-35 Lightning II.

BAE delivered the first of the planes in February 2009.