HAWK air defense system in Ukraine. Predictable intermediate result
Spanish HAWK air defense system, prepared for shipment to Ukraine. Photo by the Spanish Ministry of Defense
Since the fall of 2022, foreign partners and patrons have been transferring various anti-aircraft missile systems to the Kyiv regime. As part of such assistance, American-made HAWK air defense systems were delivered to Ukraine in the recent past. Several of these products have been put into service, put on duty and, reportedly, have already been used for real purposes. However, the results of using this technology cannot be called successful.
foreign aid
In the fall of 2022, the Kiev regime requested assistance from foreign partners in the form of air defense systems to make up for losses incurred and strengthen air defense. At the same time, several countries expressed their readiness to provide the necessary equipment, and later the list of potential suppliers was repeatedly replenished. However, not all foreign aides were ready to provide modern systems.
In early November, Spain responded to the request for help. Its leadership announced its readiness to send four American-made HAWK anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine. Preparing the equipment from our own army took about a month, and in early November the air defense system was sent to the Kyiv regime.
A few days after this, the Spanish leadership announced its readiness to transfer two more complexes. This batch left for Ukraine in February 2023. Later, in October, they announced the imminent transfer of six more launchers. Also offered for shipment were a number of compatible anti-aircraft missiles, auxiliary equipment and other property.
Also, in the fall of 2022, the United States expressed its readiness to supply components of the HAWK system. They have included an undisclosed number of MIM-23 anti-aircraft guided missiles in several new aid packages for Ukraine. In addition, the possibility of supplying the HAWK complexes themselves or their components was considered. However, this required removing them from storage, repairing and modernizing them. However, such a project required additional funding.
The first known photo of HAWK in service with Ukrainian air defense, presumably January 2024. Photo Telegram / BMPD
In February 2023, Sweden became another supplier of American air defense systems. She decided to send to Ukraine complexes that had previously been removed from service and were now in storage. The volume of such supply was not disclosed.
At the level of rumors or unconfirmed reports from anonymous sources, information appeared about the supply of HAWK air defense systems from other countries. Thus, in mid-2023, the possibility of sending complexes that were being removed from Taiwan’s arsenal to Ukraine was discussed. However, they eventually decided to dispose of this equipment. Other rumors were also not confirmed.
Last fall it became known that MIM-23 missiles can be used not only as part of HAWK complexes. The United States was developing a series of air defense systems under the general name FrankenSAM, and one of these projects involved placing HAWK missiles on the launcher of the Soviet Buk. Perhaps such equipment is already being produced and is present in the Ukrainian air defense.
Complexes on duty
Spain and Sweden handed over to the Kyiv regime the MIM-23B I-HAWK air defense system modification in the Phase III configuration, created in the late eighties. At the beginning of December 2022, the Ukrainian leadership announced the receipt of the first batch of such equipment. The following batches of complexes were received without publicity or additional announcement.
In general, to date, at least 2-3 batteries of the HAWK complex have arrived in Ukraine, including 10-12 launchers and a corresponding number of other means and components. In addition, the Swedish, Spanish and American armies provided an unknown number of missiles. Apparently, these are products of neither the oldest nor the newest modifications.
Taiwanese HAWK is one of those that the Kiev regime hoped to receive. Photo Telegram / BMPD
It is curious that the Kiev regime, having received foreign air defense systems, did not use them for several months. The first information about the combat operation of HAWK products dates only to the end of October. Then the Ukrainian formations published a short video purporting to show MIM-23 missiles being launched at Russian attack UAVs or cruise missiles. At the same time, the shooting was carried out at night, and the quality of the recording does not allow us to accurately determine the type of air defense system, launchers and missiles used.
In mid-January, the first known photograph of the HAWK air defense system in service with Ukrainian formations became publicly available. The shot included a standard launcher with three rails, equipped with a full load of ammunition. The missile in the foreground bore the distinctive "US ARMY" markings, indicating its origin. At the same time, the new owners did not refuse the opportunity to cover the overseas product with their own letters and slogans.
Judging by data from the Ukrainian side, air defense systems received from abroad have been used at least since last fall. However, detailed information about the operation of HAWK has not yet appeared. At the same time, the Kiev regime regularly reports the successful repulsion of air attacks and the defeat of Russian UAVs and missiles. It is understood that HAWK systems also participate in such events.
Knowing the features of Ukrainian reports, it is not difficult to imagine how they relate to reality, and what results foreign air defense systems actually show. They do manage to shoot down or damage a number of low-speed UAVs, but the bulk of the weapons successfully penetrate Ukrainian air defenses and hit their targets. HAWK and other complexes actually do not cope with their work.
Reasons for failure
It hardly needs to be recalled that the American MIM-23 HAWK (Homing All the Way Killer) air defense system is not new. Its first version was created in the late fifties and entered service with the US Army in 1960. The I-HAWK (Improved-HAWK) modification has been mass-produced since the early seventies. Subsequently, on its basis, a number of more variants of the complex with certain features were developed. Despite all the modifications and improvements, the overall architecture and composition of the air defense system did not change.
Estimated launch of a MIM-23 missile by a Ukrainian air defense system, October 2023. Photo by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
I-HAWK is a mobile air defense system designed for long-term combat duty and protection of a given area. All equipment is mounted on a towed chassis, which allows you to quickly roll them up and move them to a new position. Working and shooting on the move is not provided.
A typical HAWK air defense system battery includes a combat control center that integrates and controls all components, an air target search radar, two fire control radars and up to six launchers with ready-to-use and spare ammunition in the form of MIM-23 missiles. The battery also has communications, a power supply system, etc.
Illumination of the air situation and search for targets are carried out by appropriate radars. In this role, different types of locators were used in the HAWK complexes. Perhaps Ukraine was able to integrate its existing samples into this system. The I-HAWK Phase III includes the AN/MPQ-61 HIPIR fire control station. Both radars must detect and track objects at ranges of at least 40-50 km.
The MIM-23B missiles used in the I-HAWK subseries complexes are approx. 5 m with a diameter of 370 mm and a starting weight of at least 640 kg. Using a solid propellant engine, the rocket reaches speeds of up to 500 m/s. The flight range, depending on the modification, reaches 35-50 km. The height of the lesion is 18 km.
All HAWK air defense missiles were equipped with a semi-active radar homing head. The target is illuminated from the ground, for example by the AN/MPQ-61 station. As the missile developed, new versions of the seeker were created and implemented with improved sensitivity and guidance accuracy, increased noise immunity, etc. The destruction of an air target was carried out with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 75 kg with a contact and non-contact radio fuse.
Detonation of the missile and possibly hitting the target. Photo of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
In general, the MIM-23 HAWK air defense system, regardless of the modification and composition of the equipment used, cannot be called modern. Accordingly, the effectiveness of such a complex when working according to modern aviation technology cannot be high.
It should be borne in mind that for several decades HAWK was one of the main air defense systems in NATO countries, and was considered by Soviet and Russian military personnel and designers as a typical threat. In this regard, Russian aviation and missile technology was initially created taking into account counteraction to HAWK complexes.
Old and ineffective
Almost a year and a half ago, the Kiev regime began intensively asking foreign partners for air defense equipment. This problem was only partially solved. Several foreign countries agreed to supply the desired equipment, but not all were able or willing to ship modern air defense systems. In addition, the volume of supplies turned out to be very limited - and even so they harmed the combat capability of a number of helping countries.
One of the striking examples of such “help” was the American-made HAWK anti-aircraft missile systems. Only a few battery sets of such air defense systems, produced several decades ago, have been delivered. Predictably, they have not improved Ukrainian air defense capabilities and generally do not interfere with Russian attacks. However, now foreign partners can claim that they helped the Kyiv regime with all their might.
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