October 30, 2010:
Malaysia is buying Sky Guardian radar warning receivers for the five Hawk-108 and 14 Hawk-208 combat trainers it purchased in the 1990s. The nine ton aircraft are used to train pilots who will eventually fly jet fighters. The Hawk can also be armed and used for ground attack. Nearly a thousand have been built since it was introduced in the late 1970s. The models Malaysia bought were equipped for combat, and these models can carry up to three tons on five hard points. This can include a 30mm cannon in a pod, as well as guided missiles and bombs. The new radar warning receivers replace less capable older models. This kind of ECM (Electronic Countermeasure) has become common for any aircraft that are expected to enter a combat zone, although support aircraft are generally only equipped with missile detectors and countermeasures.