SAM MIM-23 HAWK for Ukraine: few and outdated
Means of the I-HAWK air defense system of the Spanish army. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of Spain
Last fall, foreign partners of the Kyiv regime expressed their readiness to supply it with American-made HAWK anti-aircraft missile systems. However, such plans quickly collided with harsh reality. It turned out that not all countries can provide such complexes, and you will have to look for products suitable for operation. Similar searches are still ongoing, and recently it became known about their next “success”.
Real supply
In October 2022, after massive attacks on military and dual-use infrastructure, the Kiev regime requested air defense systems from foreign partners. Soon this call was answered by several foreign states. One of the first was Spain, which offered various types of air defense systems.
In particular, the Spanish army was ready to transfer four US-made MIM-23B I-HAWK launchers, as well as missiles and other means. According to reports, in Spain there were less than 40 installations of this type, divided between two anti-aircraft divisions. Already in early November, NATO allies convinced the Spanish army to allocate two more installations from the presence.
The first reports of the delivery of Spanish I-HAWKs to Ukraine appeared in early December. Similar news arrived later, on the twentieth of February 2023. Probably, for one reason or another, Spain was unable to transfer six launchers and other products in one batch and in the shortest possible time.
According to reports, Ukrainian air defense formations mastered the received MIM-23 air defense systems no later than the end of winter and even put them on combat duty in an unknown area of the country. In the future, the operation and use of such complexes was not reported.
The MIM-23 complex of the Taiwanese army. Photo Telegram / BMPD
American plans
In parallel with the supply of Spanish air defense systems in NATO countries, the search for equipment for further transfer continued. So, already at the end of October, the American press reported that the Pentagon could allocate HAWK products from storage and missiles for them. However, there was a problem of age and safety of equipment. The fact is that the ground forces abandoned the MIM-23 back in 1994, and it was removed from the Marine Corps in 2002. Therefore, American specialists will first have to examine the existing air defense systems and decide whether they are suitable for further operation.
In early November, the next military aid package for Ukraine included the supply of MIM-23 missiles from stock. In addition, we provided for the cost of repairing and restoring the HAWK air defense systems that are being removed from storage. The timing of the work and the number of complexes were not reported. At the beginning of February 2023, two HAWK firing platoons were included in the new package, but again without specifying the timing.
Subsequently, the Pentagon repeatedly mentioned the possibility of sending MIM-23 complexes and missiles for them to Ukraine. According to various sources, he managed to find and ship a certain amount of ammunition, but other means of air defense systems have not yet been transferred. The entire Ukrainian group HAWK consists only of former Spanish products.
Other sources
According to known data, the HAWK family of air defense systems are in service with almost two dozen countries. Several other states have removed such complexes from service, but still store them. One of the owners has already shared his complexes with the Kyiv regime, and another one is ready to supply such equipment. Almost all other countries are seriously considered as potential suppliers, but are in no hurry to justify such hopes.
So, at the end of January, the American press reported that Washington had approached Israel with a proposal to transfer several MIM-23s to the Kyiv regime. The Israeli side refused. The reasons for this response are simple: Israel does not want to supply weapons to Ukraine, and in addition, the existing HAWKs from storage may be unusable.
US Army HAWK launcher, 1994. Photo by the US Department of Defense
At the end of June, the MIM-23B air defense systems were decommissioned by the army of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Curious details of this soon became known. A few days ago, the Taiwanese press reported that last year, Washington and Taipei agreed to sell decommissioned HAWKs. The US will buy back the number of missiles, launchers, etc. it needs. for subsequent transfer to Ukraine.
Potential Volumes
The previously announced deliveries of MIM-23 air defense systems to the Kyiv regime are proceeding at an extremely slow pace, and attempts to speed them up and increase volumes have not yet yielded the desired result. It is possible that the US-Taiwan agreements will affect the situation, but even such forecasts may turn out to be overly optimistic.
It is not difficult to calculate what Ukrainian formations already have and what they can count on. Thus, Spain transferred to Ukraine only six launchers, auxiliary equipment and a stock of missiles from the I-HAWK. These products will make it possible to assemble two or three fire platoons and bring them into one battery.
The US promised to supply several fire platoons. The exact number of such units, the modification of the air defense system and the equipment were not specified. In addition, the timing of the shipment, which was announced last year, remains unknown. Deliveries have not yet begun, which can be explained both by difficulties at the stage of preparation and repair of equipment, and by the refusal to deliver.
Now the Kiev regime can expect to receive decommissioned Taiwanese HAWKs. According to known data, until recently, Taiwan had 18 batteries of such complexes, which included 39 fire platoons. Each platoon operated three launchers and one control radar. Several hundred missiles are also reported.
The HPI radar used in the first HAWK upgrades. Photo by the US Department of Defense
Thus, even with a successful development of the situation, Ukraine will be able to get approx. 40 platoons of American air defense systems and a significant stock of guided missiles for them. Such equipment will be able to supplement the existing air defense systems in quantitative terms, but the qualitative results are in question. However, in the current situation, the Kiev regime will be happy with such help.
Outdated Samples
Since last February, a number of foreign states have been transferring various weapons and equipment to Ukrainian formations. At the same time, the bulk of such deliveries are obsolete samples that are being withdrawn from service or taken from storage. protracted story with the delivery of the MIM-23 HAWK air defense system does not stand out from this series. The United States and its allies decided to help Ukraine with long-outdated systems.
Recall that the first version of the MIM-23 was developed in the late fifties and began to enter service in 1960. In the early seventies, eighties and nineties, three major upgrades were carried out, on the basis of which other modifications were subsequently created. During each update, the complex received new components and assemblies, tools, etc. All this led to an increase in performance characteristics and overall efficiency.
The latest versions of the HAWK were developed in the first half of the nineties, after which no new modifications were created. The development of this air defense system stopped almost three decades ago, and even its latest versions cannot be called modern and meet current requirements.
Regardless of the modification, the HAWK air defense system has the same composition. A platoon of the complex includes a target detection and illumination radar, as well as launchers with three combat-ready missiles on each. The facilities of the complex were built on semi-trailers, although some countries placed them on self-propelled chassis.
Preparation of the complex for launch. Photo by the US Department of Defense
During the modernization of the air defense system, the standard radar was repeatedly replaced. Later versions used stations with a detection range of large targets of at least 75-80 km. It is also possible to integrate HAWK with other NATO-standard radars.
MIM-23 missiles of all modifications were carried out in an elongated body with a characteristic X-shaped wing. The length of the product exceeded 5 m, the starting weight was 590 kg. With the help of a solid-propellant engine, the rocket could reach speeds of up to 2-2,4 M. Range - up to 40 km, depending on the modification. All versions used semi-active radar guidance, and the missile seeker was repeatedly upgraded. The missiles carried high-explosive fragmentation warheads of various types weighing more than 50 kg.
useless help
For its time, the HAWK air defense system and its upgraded versions were a good and effective air defense system. However, the complex gradually became obsolete morally. In addition, in the early nineties, its development ceased. At present, even later versions of the MIM-23 cannot be called modern anti-aircraft systems capable of dealing with current threats.
Attempts to use HAWK against the Russian aviation are doomed to failure, and it's not just about its obsolescence. For several decades, this air defense system was considered as one of the main threats, and the designers of aviation systems were preparing to counteract it. In addition, the MIM-23 was one of the typical targets for air-to-ground weapons. Identifying and destroying such an air defense system will not be a difficult task.
Thus, the supply of HAWK air defense systems from Spain, the USA and, possibly, other countries, does not actually make sense. They allow you to create the appearance of assistance in restoring the suppressed Ukrainian air defense, but the effectiveness of such defense will be extremely low. Accordingly, Russian aviation, missiles and UAVs will be able to continue their work and solve their tasks.
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