Spain prepares to transfer Hawk air defense system to Ukraine

A HAWK air defense system has been delivered to Poland from Spain and will soon be handed over to Ukraine.

The Army Recognition publication reported that the transfer of the air defense system was scheduled for November 24.

The Ukrainian military, which will use the HAWK, recently underwent training in Spain as part of the European Union Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM).

Before that, in September, it was reported that the Spanish government had planned to send to Ukraine a complete battery of the HAWK air defense system.

One battery includes 6 launchers to engage air targets.

Spain was the first country to transfer MIM-23 HAWK air defense missile systems in 2022. They are also being transferred by the United States.

Ukraine’s air defense uses these SAMs to protect cities and strategic sites from Russian cruise missiles and drones.

Ukraine is currently fielding the Improved Hawk Phase III air defense systems.

Despite their age, they have retained their relevance due to the large-scale modernization that took place during the 1990s.

The SAM electronic base was replaced with a digital one, and more modern radars and a command post were integrated.

The Phase III version of the Hawk is capable of intercepting air targets at a range of 40 km with a maximum altitude of 18 km.

It has also become known that KAMAN Corporation would manufacture the new components for the HAWK air defense missile system, which would then be sent to Ukraine.