AVALON, Australia—The Royal Australian Air Force has taken the first steps to explore how to replace its fleet of BAE Systems Hawk training aircraft, though they are likely to remain in service for another decade.

In terms of a replacement aircraft, “we are certainly starting to look at what that might be,” the service’s head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice Marshal Nicholas Hogan, told reporters here at the Avalon Australian International Airshow. He added, though, that “it's really early.”

Australia recently completed an engine upgrade for its Hawk fleet to boost reliability.

Figuring out how the Hawk may be replaced is a complicated process, Hogan indicated. “There's a bunch of questions that need to be asked, and that includes training throughput, and therefore what might be the best platform for that,” he said. It also is an opportunity to explore how other countries train and potentially adopt some of those practices, he noted.

The UK Royal Air Force also has started thinking about replacing its Hawks. The British service chief, Air Marshal Richard Knighton, in November said he wanted a new trainer “as soon possible.”