Ukraine has successfully utilized the American-made MIM-23 HAWK surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, retired by the U.S. more than two decades ago, to shoot down Russian cruise missiles and Shahed drones. The HAWK system, initially fielded in the 1960s, has proven its enduring utility on the modern battlefield despite being considered obsolete by many contemporary standards.
The Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) highlighted the achievements of one of its units, which managed to destroy six Shahed drones in a single engagement. The crew, led by a young professional officer known as “Lev,” includes Oleksandr, a HAWK air defense operator with numerous successful engagements against enemy missiles and drones. Oleksandr’s team received training in Spain, where they learned to operate the HAWK system, despite its original design not being optimized for drone interception.
Oleksandr recounted the challenges of targeting Shahed drones, which fly slowly and require prolonged attention, making the task physically and mentally taxing. Nevertheless, his team demonstrated remarkable efficiency, downing six drones in their first combat encounter. The HAWK system, though aged, has proven effective in skilled hands, managing to intercept a range of targets, including the Kh-59 cruise missiles and Iranian-made drones.
Lev’s unit, equipped with the S-125 (NATO: SA-3 Goa) air defense system, also showed outstanding performance. Despite the S-125’s static, point-defense nature and complex operation, requiring manual target tracking and radar control, Lev’s crew managed to shoot down a 3M14 Kalibr cruise missile on their first engagement.
While the U.S. military replaced the HAWK with more modern systems like the FIM-92 Stinger, Avenger, and MIM-104 Patriot by the 1990s, the hand-me-down HAWK systems have found a renewed purpose in Ukraine’s defense.
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