The Hawk Air Defense System is one of the world’s most advanced medium-altitude air defense systems.

The Hawk is an all-weather, surface-to-air, medium-range/medium-altitude missile system. Since its development in the 1960s, it has undergone several extensive upgrades. Its current major upgrade –– the Phase III Hawk –– provides increased firepower, enhanced reliability, improved maintenance, and integrated air defense capability through digital computers.

The Hawk system consists of six major components. Its Command Post performs critical command and control functions, including automatic data processing, friend or foe identification, and digital voice and data communications. Continuous Wave and Pulse Acquisition Radars provide low-to-medium-altitude target detection, while the High Power Illuminator tracks and illuminates targets. The Hawk missile performs the target kill function, providing a formidable defense against fixed and rotary wing aircraft, cruise missiles, and short-range tactical ballistic missiles. The launchers, in addition to their missile aiming function, support pre-launch commands and transport the missiles in tactical situations.

The Hawk system has seen action during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the 1967 and 1973 Arab-Israeli Wars, the war in Chad, the Iran-Iraq War and the Persian Gulf War. Its performance and effectiveness have been validated in over 4,000 missile flight tests under the full range of environmental, tactical, and electronic countermeasure conditions.

An upgrade to the Fire Direction Center is now available to replace the current Hawk Command Post. Growth of the Hawk system will involve upgrading to the Hawk-AMRAAM configuration. A joint venture between Raytheon and Kongsberg of Norway, the Hawk-AMRAAM program will increase Hawk system effectiveness and supportability.