Regarded as one of the best Hawk variants, it incorporates improvements in the Mk 1 ACE II program, the Mk 3 variant, as well as a few of its own. Its landing gear now retracts inwards, and is positioned further out. This made landing the Hawk, a particularly tricky matter, much easier. It incorporated the improved tail section and engines of the Mk 1 ACE II and extended the nose section to accomodate a larger radar. It retained the four 30mm Mk 9 guns of the Mk 3, as well as increasing the missile load. 4,000 Mk 3 Hawk upgrades were planned, but only 1,050 were completed when the project was cancelled due to the decision to phase out the Hawk in frontline service. The 1,050 Mk 3A Hawks were given to the Paternia and Royal Love Air Forces. They were planned to be replaced by the Maverick Fighter. Pilotmario Defense Industries decided to market the jet to the international market, seeing many sales, since the aircraft was very similar to the Hawk, Renegade Fighter and the Dart Interceptor. However, the prohibitvely high cost of the Renegade, a grounding of the Dart fleet over structural issues and unexpected problems with the Maverick left the Pilotmario Air Force with a sudden shortage of fighters. It was decided to procure more Hawks in the meantime, and the Pilotmario Air Force purchased 2,000 Hawk 3A. These aircraft were new-build airframes, and were referred to as the Hawk 3B. There are no functional differences between the two. These Hawks are still in Pilotmario Air Force Reserve service, although it has been replaced in frontline service with improved versions of the Renegade, Maverick and the Dart.