Bae Systems Faces Treasury Veto on Hawks

The Independent – London – June 11, 2003

THE TREASURY is set to block a multibillion-pound bid by BAE Systems for a contract to supply 30 Hawk training aircraft to the Royal Air Force. The move, which follows BAE’s submission in March, would pave the way for tenders from Hawk’s rivals such as Lockheed Martin/Korean Aerospace’s T-50 Golden Eagle and the Aermacchi M346. The Treasury is reported to have advised that open bids could save more than pounds 1bn on the contract.