Russian sources reported that on October 19, Russian Air Pressure Su-57 Felon fighter jets destroyed a number of American-made MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile methods equipped to Ukraine.
In line with these reviews, the strikes occurred early Saturday morning in southern Ukraine. A Russian Telegram account, the Fighterbomber, identified to have ties to the Russian Air Pressure, confirmed that Su-57 jets have been concerned within the assault however didn’t specify the precise location. Aviation web site Avia.professional instructed that the Su-57s focused MIM-23 Hawk methods close to or round Odesa. Preliminary reviews point out that the Ukrainian army had deployed the outdated Hawk air protection batteries to guard cargo ships.
“Regardless of efforts to bolster the area’s air defenses, Ukrainian air protection positions have been recognized and attacked by Russian fighter jets from the ocean,” Avia.professional reported. The strikes reportedly destroyed a minimum of two MIM-23 launchers and an AN/MSW-9 PCP command submit, sparking a hearth captured by witnesses.
The MIM-23 Hawk [Homing All the Way Killer] is an American surface-to-air missile system launched within the Nineteen Sixties. Designed to focus on enemy plane at medium altitudes, the Hawk system has undergone a number of upgrades to stay efficient in an ever-evolving air protection panorama. Its main parts embrace the AN/MPQ-50 radar for early warning and goal acquisition and the AN/MPQ-46 hearth management radar.
The MIM-23B, an improved variant of the unique MIM-23A, has a most vary of about 25 miles [40 kilometers] and may attain altitudes of as much as 11 miles [18 kilometers]. It employs semi-active radar steerage, requiring the goal to be “illuminated” by floor radar all through the missile’s flight.
Weighing roughly 1,300 kilos [590 kilograms], the missile carries a 165-pound [75-kilogram] warhead able to destroying bombers, smaller plane, and helicopters. The missile reaches speeds of as much as Mach 2.4 [about 1,825 miles per hour or 2,940 kilometers per hour].
Hawk methods are semi-mobile, permitting for fast deployment and relocation, however they depend on a fancy management middle the place operators monitor targets and launch missiles.
Regardless of its upgrades, the MIM-23 Hawk is more and more outdated, significantly in opposition to trendy fighter jets like Russia’s Su-57. The Su-57 is a fifth-generation fighter with quite a few benefits that make it troublesome for older methods just like the Hawk to counter successfully.
One of many Su-57’s key strengths is its stealth expertise, which considerably reduces its radar signature. The MIM-23 Hawk’s radars, designed for older generations of plane with bigger radar cross-sections, wrestle to detect and monitor the Su-57 at secure distances.
Furthermore, the Su-57 is armed with superior air-to-ground missiles just like the Kh-59, which may be launched from distances effectively past the Hawk’s attain. The Kh-59 has a spread of as much as 180 miles [290 kilometers] and flies at low altitudes with excessive precision, making the MIM-23 Hawk susceptible, because it was not designed to intercept such high-speed, low-flying missiles.
Moreover, the Su-57 is supplied with trendy digital warfare [EW] methods able to jamming or complicated the Hawk’s radars, additional decreasing the air protection system’s probabilities of mounting an efficient response.
For the reason that starting of Russia’s invasion in February 2022 by means of October 2024, Ukraine has acquired a number of MIM-23 Hawk air protection methods, primarily from Spain and america. Spain has been a key donor, transferring a complete of 12 Hawk launchers, sufficient to equip two medium-range air protection batteries.
Spain initially despatched six launchers and later added one other six in 2023. The USA has additionally performed a big position by buying and transferring decommissioned Hawk methods, notably from Taiwan.
Different international locations have contributed by offering technical assist or facilitating the refurbishment and transportation of those older methods. Whereas the precise variety of MIM-23 Hawk models delivered to Ukraine could range barely because of operational safety, Spain and the U.S. stay the first donors.
Regardless of being technologically outclassed by extra trendy air protection methods, these Hawks proceed to supply worthwhile medium-range safety, significantly after present process a number of modernization packages.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On February 21, 2022, Russia acknowledged that its border facility was attacked by Ukrainian forces, ensuing within the deaths of 5 Ukrainian fighters. Nevertheless, Ukraine shortly dismissed these allegations, labeling them as ‘false flags’.
In a notable transfer on the identical day, Russia introduced it formally acknowledged the self-proclaimed areas of DPR and LPR. Apparently, in accordance with Russian President Putin, this recognition coated all of the Ukrainian areas. Following this declaration, Putin despatched a battalion of Russia’s army forces, tanks included, into these areas.
Quick ahead to February 24, 2022, world headlines have been dominated by a important incident. Putin commanded a forceful army assault on Ukraine. Led by Russia’s spectacular Armed Forces positioned on the Ukrainian border, this assault wasn’t spontaneous however a premeditated motion. Regardless of the circumstances resembling a battle, the Russian authorities refrains from utilizing this time period. They’d moderately confer with it as a “particular army operation”.
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