Spain to send another HAWK missile battery in September to reinforce Ukrainian air defense

The Minister of Defense of Spain, Margarita Robles, during a videoconference with her Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, announced the delivery of a new MIM-23 HAWK anti-aircraft missile battery.

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During the meeting, Minister Umerov provided an update on the situation on the ground, as well as on the most urgent needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. For his part, Robles detailed the upcoming shipments of military equipment, including the delivery of a fully operational HAWK anti-aircraft battery, which will increase the air defense capability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Spain will supply another MIM-23 HAWK medium-range SAM battery to Ukraine this September.

This was announced by the Spanish Minister of Defense Margarita Robles during a video conversation with @rustem_umerov.

We are grateful to our Spanish friends for their important and… pic.twitter.com/CKqo1dQVNI

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 25, 2024

The important progress in the training of Ukrainian military personnel in Spain was also highlighted, reaching 5,000 trained military personnel.

The Minister also stressed to her counterpart the humanitarian aspect of the Spanish support, which is reflected in actions such as helping orphans and relatives of Ukrainian military personnel to enjoy a few days in Spain, facilitating transportation from Poland.

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MIM-23 HAWK in Ukraine

Several countries, including Spain, donated HAWK systems to Ukraine to strengthen its air defense against constant Russian attacks.

Although the Hawk was developed by the US firm Raytheon in the late 1950s and introduced to the US Army in 1960 as the MIM-23 HAWK (for Homing All the Way Killer), various modernization programs kept the HAWK competitive. As a result of the implementation of the I-HAWK upgrade program, the missile can intercept aerial targets up to 40km horizontal range and 18km altitude.

Although considered a totally outdated system by modern standards, the Hawk is used by the Ukrainians in conjunction with other more modern air defense systems, such as NASAMS or IRIS-T SLM, to create a more robust air defense network, proven to be effective in intercepting cruise missiles and drones, helping to reduce the impact of Russian attacks.