Bahrain Airshow: Saudi Hawks’ farewell flight for Mk 65

The seven jet trainers making up the team, built in the mid-1990s, made their debut display in January 1999, but are now set to be withdrawn from the show circuit. They are being replaced with newer more advanced Mk165s, assembled at the BAE Systems facility in Dhahran, in the desert kingdom.

The aircraft will come from the second half of a batch of 22 that have not just been assembled locally, but also include a Head up Display built by AEC and a canopy built by Al Salam -, companies that are now part of Saudi Arabia Military Industries (SAMI).

A ceremony to celebrate the last Hawk Mk165 coming off the Dhahran production line, took place at this year’s World Defense Show in Riyadh in February, and saw one of the new aircraft displayed for the first time wearing the team’s new style green and white colours.

Understandably it’s a source of national pride that the Hawks set to fly with the team. have been produced locally.

The Hawks will be flying each day this year at Bahrain - a clear highlight for the flying display. Although it is not the final goodbye.

The last Mk 65 air show will take place in Riyadh before the end of the year, and the pilots will then start training on the Mk 165s. As a result, the ‘Saudi Hawks’ team will not fly in 2025, and make its public debut at Riyadh’s World Defense Show (WDS) in February 2026.