In 1964, the Royal Air Force requested the development of a fast trainer aircraft to replace the obsolete Folland Gnat. The SEPECAT Jaguar was initially considered for this role but was ultimately deemed too complex and expensive. In 1968, therefore, Hawker Siddeley began a private venture to create an aircraft that could be used for training or combat, depending on the customer’s requirements. In 1970, the Royal Air Force became interested in the aircraft and specified requirements for it. In March 1972, an order for 175 aircraft was signed. The prototype’s first flight took place on 21 August 1974, and it soon entered service as the Hawk T.1. Over time, the aircraft attracted many foreign buyers looking to replace their old trainers, such as the A-4 and the Hunter. Among them was the United States, where the Hawk entered service as the T-45. In total, more than 1,000 Hawks of all variants were built.

In 1984, British Aerospace decided to create a pure combat variant of the aircraft, designating it the Hawk 200. Previous Hawks were considered by their buyers to be primarily training aircraft with limited combat capabilities, leaving a niche for a light combat aircraft. The Hawk 200 made its first flight on 19 May 1986. Despite the subsequent loss of the prototype, pre-production began in 1987. The first order, from Oman, followed in 1990. A total of 62 Hawk 200 aircraft were built. They remain in service with Oman, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Introduced in Update 2.51 "Spearhead", the Hawk 200 is a relatively slow aircraft with mediocre manoeuvrability. However, it compensates with fairly good armament, including 30 mm cannons, AIM-9L missiles, and various loadout options for attacking ground targets. Its small size also contributes to its survivability.