HAWK Missile Fails During Target Engagement: Troubled Moments Revealed
Ukrainian MIM-23B I-HAWK Air Defense System Malfunctions and Explodes during Engagement
In the midst of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, western countries have been providing air defense systems to the Ukrainian Army. Recently, Spain donated the I-HAWK Air Defense System, which is now actively being used by the Ukrainian Army.
According to images circulating on social media, the Ukrainian Army deployed the I-HAWK system to engage the Russian Army’s Shahid-136 Kamikaze UAVs. During the engagement, one of the missiles fired from the I-HAWK system successfully destroyed a target at low altitude. However, the second missile malfunctioned, went out of control, and exploded in the air.
A video shared on Twitter by SavunmaSanayiST.com shows the Ukrainian I-HAWK Air Defense System in action against the Russian UAVs. While one missile hits its target, the other can be seen malfunctioning and exploding in the air.
The I-HAWK system, which has been in use since the 1970s, is expected to be phased out in the near future. As the lifespan of the missiles currently in use is nearing its expiration, malfunctions like this are considered normal.
It is worth noting that the I-HAWK Air Defense System is also part of the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces.
The MIM-23 Hawk, developed by Raytheon, is an American medium-range surface-to-air missile that entered service with the US Army in 1959. In 1971, the missile underwent significant improvements known as the Improved Hawk (I-HAWK) program, which included the replacement of radar systems with new models.
Over the years, further enhancements were made to the I-HAWK system, including improved ECCM capabilities, a potential home-on-jam feature, and a new warhead in 1995, making it capable of effectively countering short-range tactical missiles. The I-HAWK system had a one-shot kill probability of 0.85, an improvement from the original system’s 0.56.
The Hawk missile was eventually replaced by the MIM-104 Patriot in the US Army service in 1994. Besides the United States, the missile was also produced in Western Europe, Japan, and Iran, with approximately 36,000 units manufactured.
Source: SavunmaSanayiST.com, Janes
