US requests Israel to donate Ukraine its Hawk air defense missile systems.

According to information published on Yahoo News on January 25, 203, the United States has requested Israel to transfer Hawk air defense missile systems to Ukraine. The Hawk missile systems are no longer serving in the Israeli army but according to Israeli military sources, ten Hawk batteries remain in storage in Israel.
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Launcher units of Hawk air defense missile system. (Picture source Wikimedia)

Citing information from Israeli Officials, it seems that the Hawk missile systems of the Israeli Defense Forces are not in operational conditions due to having been in cold storage without maintenance for a long time.

On November 3, 2022, Spain provided Ukraine with Hawk and Aspide air defense missile systems coming from its military inventory. At the same time, the United States approved the sending of Hawk missiles to Ukraine as part of new $400 million military aid assistance.

The Hawk air defense system is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system used to defend against aircraft and drones. It was developed by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and has been in service since the 1960s. The Hawk system uses radar to track targets and guided missiles to intercept them. It is mobile, allowing for rapid deployment and has been used by numerous countries for their air defense needs.

The range of the Hawk air defense missile system varies depending on the specific model, but most versions have a maximum range of approximately 40 km. The system's effective range also depends on factors such as the altitude of the target, the type of target, and environmental conditions.

A Hawk battery consists of different components including radar systems, one central control system, missile launcher units, and support equipment consisting of power supply, communication systems, and maintenance equipment.

The radar systems are used to detect and track targets, providing information to the control system while the central control system receives data from the radar and other sensors and manages the defense system.

The Hawk launcher unit carries up to three ready-to-fire missiles and is activated only on the initiation of the fire cycle. When the fire button is activated in the BCC (Battery Conytrol Center or PCP (Platoon Command post), several launcher functions occur simultaneously: the launcher slew's to designated azimuth and elevation angles, power is supplied to activate the missile gyros, electronic and hydraulic systems, the launcher activates the missile motor and launches the missile. The launcher is equipped with electronic cutouts and sensing circuits that allow firing in all emplacement situations.