In 1960, a new MIM-23 HAWK anti-aircraft missile system was adopted by the US Army. The operation of these systems in the American armed forces continued until the early 2000s, when they were completely supplanted by more modern means of engaging air targets. Nevertheless, HAWK anti-aircraft complexes of various modifications are still used in several countries. Despite its age, the MIM-23 SAM family is still one of the most common systems in its class.
First project
Work on the creation of a new anti-aircraft missile system started in 1952. During the first two years, research organizations in the United States studied the possibility of creating an air defense system with a semi-active radar guidance system and found out what technologies are necessary for the appearance of such military equipment. Already at this stage, the program for creating an air defense system received its name. The backronym of the word Hawk ("Hawk") - Homing All the Way Killer ("Interceptor, controlled throughout the flight") was chosen as a designation for a promising anti-aircraft complex.
Preliminary work showed the existing capabilities of the American industry and made it possible to start developing a new air defense system. In mid-1954, the Pentagon and several companies signed contracts to develop various components of the HAWK complex. In accordance with them, Raytheon was supposed to create a guided missile, and Northrop was required to develop all the ground components of the complex: a launcher, radar stations, a control system and auxiliary vehicles.
The first test launches of the new model missiles took place in June 1956. Tests of the HAWK air defense system continued for a year, after which the project developers began to correct the identified shortcomings. In the summer of 1960, the American military department adopted a new anti-aircraft system for service under the designation MIM-23 HAWK. Delivery of serial complexes to combat units soon began. Later, in connection with the start of production of new modifications, the base anti-aircraft complex received an updated designation - MIM-23A.
The HAWK anti-aircraft complex included a MIM-23 guided missile, a self-propelled launcher, target detection and illumination radars, a radar range finder, a control post and a battery command post. In addition, the calculation of the air defense missile system had a number of auxiliary equipment: transport and charging machines of various models.
The aerodynamic appearance of the MIM-23 rocket was formed in the early stages of work on the project and has not undergone any major changes since then. The guided missile had a length of 5.08 meters and a body diameter of 0.37 m. The tail section of the rocket had X-shaped wings with a span of 1.2 m with rudders along the entire width of the trailing edge. The launch mass of the rocket was 584 kg, 54 kg fell on the high-explosive fragmentation warhead. The characteristics of the MIM-23A missile, equipped with a solid-propellant engine, made it possible to attack targets at ranges of 2-25 km and altitudes of 50-11000 m. The probability of hitting a target with one missile was declared at the level of 50-55%.
To track the airspace and detect targets, the AN / MPQ-50 radar station was included in the HAWK air defense system. In the course of one of the first modernizations, the AN / MPQ-55 low-altitude target detection radar was added to the anti-aircraft complex equipment. Both radar stations were equipped with antenna rotation synchronization systems. With their help, it was possible to eliminate all the "dead zones" around the radar position. The MIM-23A missile was equipped with a semi-active radar guidance system. For this reason, a target illumination radar was introduced into the HAWK complex. The AN / MPQ-46 illumination station could not only provide missile guidance, but also determine the range to the target. The characteristics of the radar stations made it possible to detect enemy bombers at a distance of up to 100 kilometers.
A three-rail launcher was created for the new missiles. This system could be carried out in both self-propelled and towed versions. After detecting the target and determining its coordinates, the calculation of the anti-aircraft complex had to deploy the launcher in the direction of the target and turn on the illumination locator. The homing head of the MIM-23A missile could capture a target both before launch and in flight. Guided munitions were guided using the proportional approach method. When the rocket approached the target at a given distance, the radio fuse gave the command to detonate the high-explosive fragmentation warhead.
The M-501E3 transport-loading vehicle was developed to deliver missiles to the position and load the launcher. The vehicle on a light tracked chassis was equipped with a hydraulically powered charging device, which made it possible to place three missiles on the launcher at the same time.
The MIM-23A HAWK anti-aircraft missile system clearly showed the possibility of creating a system of this class using semi-active radar guidance. However, the imperfection of the component base and technologies affected the real capabilities of the complex. So, the basic version of the HAWK could attack only one target at a time, which accordingly affected its combat capabilities. Another serious problem was the short life of the electronics: some modules that used vacuum tubes had an MTBF not exceeding 40-45 hours.
Launcher М192
Transport and loading vehicle M-501E3
Pulse targeting radar AN / MPQ-50
Radar targeting AN / MPQ-48
Modernization projects
The MIM-23A HAWK anti-aircraft complex significantly increased the air defense potential of the American troops, but the existing shortcomings called into question its future fate. It was required to carry out an upgrade capable of bringing the characteristics of the systems to an acceptable level. Already in 1964, work began on the Improved HAWK or I-HAWK ("Improved HAWK") project. In the course of this modernization, it was supposed to significantly improve the characteristics of the rocket, as well as update the ground-based components of the complex, including using digital equipment.
The basis of the modernized air defense missile system was the MIM-23B modification rocket. She received updated electronic equipment and a new solid fuel engine. The design of the rocket and, as a result, the dimensions remained the same, but the launch weight increased. Having grown heavy up to 625 kilograms, the modernized rocket expanded its capabilities. Now the interception range was in the range from 1 to 40 kilometers, the height - from 30 meters to 18 km. The new solid-propellant engine provided the MIM-23B rocket with a maximum speed of up to 900 m / s.
The largest innovation in the electronic components of the Improved HAWK air defense system was the use of a digital data processing system obtained from radar stations. In addition, the radars themselves have undergone noticeable changes. According to some reports, after improvements within the framework of the I-HAWK program, the operating time of electronic systems between failures increased to 150-170 hours.
The first anti-aircraft missile systems of the new modification entered the army in 1972. The modernization program continued until 1978. The complexes built and updated during the repair helped significantly increase the defense potential of the military air defense.
Soon after the Improved HAWK project was created, a new program called HAWK PIP (HAWK Product Improvement Plan) was launched, divided into several phases. The first of these was carried out until 1978. During the first phase of the program, anti-aircraft systems received upgraded AN / MPQ-55 ICWAR and IPAR target detection radars, which made it possible to increase the size of the controlled space.
From 1978 to the mid-eighties, the developers of the HAWK system were working on the second phase. The AN / MPQ-46 target illumination radar has been replaced by the new AN / MPQ-57 system. In addition, in the ground equipment of the complex, some blocks based on lamps were replaced by transistor ones. By the mid-eighties, an optical-electronic station for detecting and tracking targets OD-179 / TVY was included in the I-HAWK SAM equipment. This system made it possible to increase the combat capabilities of the entire complex in a difficult jamming environment.
In 1983-89, the third phase of modernization took place. Global changes have affected electronic equipment, most of which has been replaced with modern digital components. In addition, radar detection and target illumination radars have been upgraded. An important innovation of the third phase was the LASHE system (Low-Altitude Simultaneous Hawk Engagement), with which one anti-aircraft complex was able to simultaneously attack several targets.
After the second phase of modernization of the Improved HAWK complexes, it was recommended to change the structure of the anti-aircraft batteries. The main firing unit of the air defense missile system was a battery, which, depending on the situation, could have two (standard battery) or three (reinforced) platoons. The standard composition meant the use of the main and forward fire platoons, reinforced - one main and two forward. The battery included the TSW-12 command post, the MSQ-110 information and coordination center, the AN / MPQ-50 and AN / MPQ-55 detection radars and the AN / MPQ-51 radar range finder. Each of the two or three main fire platoons consisted of one AN / MPQ-57 illumination radar, three launchers and several units of auxiliary equipment. In addition to the illumination radar and launchers, the advanced platoon included the MSW-18 platoon command post and the AN / MPQ-55 detection radar.
Since the beginning of the eighties, several new modifications of the MIM-23 guided missile have been created. So, the MIM-23C missile, which appeared in 1982, received an updated semi-active homing head, which allowed it to operate in conditions of the enemy's use of electronic warfare systems. According to some reports, this modification appeared "thanks to" Soviet electronic warfare systems used by the Iraqi Air Force during the war with Iran. In 1990, the MIM-23E rocket appeared, which also had greater resistance to enemy interference.
In the mid-nineties, the MIM-23K rocket was created. It differed from the previous ammunition of the family by a more powerful engine and other characteristics. The modernization made it possible to bring the firing range up to 45 kilometers, the maximum target hitting height - up to 20 km. In addition, the MIM-23K missile received a new warhead with ready-made fragments weighing 35 g each. For comparison, the fragments from the warheads of the previous missiles weighed 2 grams. It was argued that the modernized warhead would allow the new guided missile to destroy tactical ballistic missiles.
Deliveries to third countries
The first HAWK anti-aircraft systems for the American armed forces were manufactured in 1960. A year earlier, the United States, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and France signed an agreement on the organization of joint production of new air defense systems at European enterprises. A little later, the parties to this agreement received orders from Greece, Denmark and Spain, which were to receive the HAWK air defense system of European production. Israel, Sweden and Japan, in turn, ordered the equipment directly from the United States. In the late sixties, the United States delivered the first anti-aircraft systems to South Korea and Taiwan, and also helped Japan with the organization of licensed production.
At the end of the seventies, European operators began to modernize their MIM-23 HAWK systems according to the American project. Belgium, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and France have completed the revision of the existing systems for the first and second stages of the American project. In addition, Germany and the Netherlands independently improved the existing complexes, equipping them with additional infrared target detection means. The infrared camera was installed on the illumination radar, between its antennas. According to some reports, this system made it possible to detect targets at ranges of up to 80-100 kilometers.
The Danish military wished to receive complexes improved in a different way. On the Danish HAWK air defense systems, optoelectronic means of detecting and tracking targets were installed. The complex introduced two television cameras designed to detect targets at ranges of up to 40 and up to 20 kilometers. According to some sources, after such a modernization, Danish anti-aircraft gunners were able to observe the situation using only optical-electronic systems and turn on the radar only after approaching the target at a distance necessary for an effective attack.
Anti-aircraft missile systems MIM-23 HAWK were supplied to 25 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. In total, several hundred sets of air defense systems and about 40 thousand missiles of several modifications were manufactured. A large part of the operating countries have by now abandoned the HAWK systems due to their obsolescence. For example, the United States Marine Corps was the last in the American armed forces to finally stop using all systems of the MIM-23 family in the early 2000s.
Nevertheless, some countries continue to operate the HAWK air defense system of various modifications and do not plan to abandon them yet. For example, a few days ago it became known that Egypt and Jordan, still using HAWK systems of later modifications, want to extend the service life of the existing missiles. For this, Egypt intends to order from the United States 186 solid-propellant engines for MIM-23 missiles, and Jordan - 114. The total value of the two contracts will be approximately $ 12.6 million. The supply of new rocket engines will allow customer countries to continue operating the HAWK anti-aircraft systems over the next several years.
The fate of the HAWK complexes delivered to Iran is of great interest. For several decades, the Iranian military has been operating a number of systems of this family. According to some reports, after the break with the United States, Iranian specialists independently carried out several upgrades of the existing air defense systems using the available element base. In addition, at the end of the last decade, the Mersad complex with several types of missiles was created, which is a deep modernization of the American system. There is no exact information about this Iranian development. According to some sources, Iranian designers managed to increase the firing range to 60 kilometers.
Combat use
Despite the fact that the MIM-23 HAWK air defense system was developed in the United States to arm its own army, the American troops never had to use it to destroy enemy aircraft or helicopters. For this reason, the first aircraft shot down by a MIM-23 missile was credited to the Israeli anti-aircraft gunners. On June 5, 1967, Israel's air defense attacked its own Dassault MD.450 Ouragan fighter. The damaged car could fall on the territory of the Nuclear Research Center in Dimona, which forced the air defense units to use missiles against it.
In the course of the following armed conflicts, the Israeli HAWK air defense systems destroyed several dozen enemy aircraft. For example, during the Yom Kippur War, 75 used missiles were able to destroy at least 12 aircraft.
During the Iran-Iraq War, Iranian anti-aircraft gunners were able to destroy about 40 Iraqi aircraft. In addition, several Iranian vehicles were damaged by friendly fire.
During the same armed conflict, the air defense of Kuwait opened its combat account. Kuwaiti HAWK systems destroyed one Iranian F-5 fighter that had invaded the country's airspace. In August 1990, during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the latter's anti-aircraft gunners shot down 14 enemy aircraft, but lost several batteries of the HAWK air defense system.
In 1987, the French armed forces provided support to Chad during the conflict with Libya. On September 7, the calculation of the French air defense system MIM-23 performed a successful missile launch at the Libyan Tu-22 bomber.
The "Improved Hawk" missile system can engage supersonic air targets at ranges from 1 to 40 km and altitudes of 0, 03 - 18 km (the maximum range and height of destruction of the "Hawk" air defense missile system are 30 and 12 km, respectively) and is capable of firing in adverse weather conditions and when applying interference
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This summer marks the 54th anniversary of the adoption of the HAWK air defense system into service with the American army. This age is unique for anti-aircraft systems. Nevertheless, despite several upgrades, the United States nevertheless stopped operating the MIM-23 complexes at the beginning of the last decade. Following the United States, several European countries have removed these systems from service. Time takes its toll, and even the latest modifications of the anti-aircraft complex do not fully meet modern requirements.
At the same time, however, most of the countries that once bought the MIM-23 air defense system continue to operate it. Moreover, some states even intend to modernize and extend the resource, like Egypt or Jordan. Do not forget about Iran, which used the American development as the basis for its own project.
All these facts can serve as proof that the MIM-23 HAWK anti-aircraft missile system turned out to be one of the most successful systems in its class. Many countries have chosen this particular air defense system and continue to operate it to this day. Nevertheless, despite all its merits, the HAWK air defense system is outdated and needs to be replaced. Many developed countries have long written off outdated equipment and put on duty new anti-aircraft systems with higher characteristics. Apparently, a similar fate will soon await the HAWK anti-aircraft systems protecting the skies of other states.
