Tag Archives: hawk

Cold War to Ukraine Crisis: H-A-W-K, Homing All-the Way Killer

Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).

Raytheon began developing what would become the MIM (Mobile Interceptor Missile)-23 HAWK (Homing All-the Way Killer) in the early 1950s.  Northrop developed the launcher system.  The U.S. Army (USA) began using it in 1959, the U.S. Marine Crops (USMC) in 1960.

First-gen HAWK being launched by U.S. Marines from Chu Lai, Viet Nam, 1965.

Between 1971 and 1978, HAWK missiles got improved radar systems, so that they could engage low-altitude aircraft.  But that was just the beginning, there were many other HAWK improvement projects that continued up until 1996.

U.S. Army (USA) M727 self-propelled HAWK surface-to-air missile system, somewhere in NATO-West Germany. USA photo, 1973.

According to the USA (U.S. Army), “The cost per missile is $250,000; per fire unit, $15 million; and per battery, $30 million.”

A HAWK missile launcher, on Cherry Point, North Carolina. USMC photo by Sergeant Rozalyn Dorsey, 20JUN1979.

A HAWK transporter-loader, on Cherry Point, North Carolina. USMC photo by Sergeant Rozalyn Dorsey, 20JUN1979.

A HAWK High-Power Illuminating Radar (HPIR) unit, on Cherry Point, North Carolina. USMC photo by Sergeant Rozalyn Dorsey, 20JUN1979.

Inside a HAWK Battery Control Central (BCC) unit, a Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS). USA photo by Staff Sergeant William B. Belcher, 04AUG1980.

During the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), Iran adapted the HAWK missile to be carried by their F-14 Tomcats, this was due to supplies of U.S. made Phoenix missiles being cut-off by the Reagan Administration.  Iran was one of dozens of countries that used HAWK missiles, and after U.S. sanctions, was able to easily reverse engineer it for their own production and calling their version the Mersad.

A HAWK battery control console, on Fort Bliss, Texas. USA photo by Staff Sergeant Robert C. Simons, 10NOV1982.

HAWK BCC units (containing the JTIDS), Onslow Beach, North Carolina. USMC photo by Corporal C. Cope, 22FEB1986.

BCC units also contain the Information Control Center (ICC) and the Platoon Command Post (PCP), all using the same trailered containers making them visually identical.

HAWK BCC units can be loaded onto 5-ton trucks, creating mobile control vans. USMC photo by Corporal C. Cope, 22FEB1986.

Operation Desert Storm, 17JAN1991–28FEB1991. 

According to the information released with this photo, these U.S. HAWKs are based in Al Salman, Iraq, shortly after the end of Desert Storm. USA photo by Staff Sergeant Dean Wagner, 03MAR1991.

In 1994, the USA decided to replace their HAWKS with Patriot missiles, due to the success of the Patriots during Desert Storm.  In 2002, the USMC decided to replace their HAWKS with the FIM-92 Stinger.

Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) soldiers prep their Hawk for launch over the McGregor Range Complex, New Mexico, 17NOV2012. USA photo by Specialist Adam Garlington.

JGSDF HAWK PAR. USA photo by Specialist Adam Garlington, 17NOV2012.

JGSDF HAWK launch. USA photo by Specialist Adam Garlington, 17NOV2012.

Ukraine Crisis, February 2014 (NATO backed coup) to present.

USA video report, 15OCT2015, South Korean HAWK launches during wargame:

NATO Romania launches HAWK missiles towards the Black Sea, 19JUL2017. USA photo by Private First Class Nicholas Vidro.

USA video by Sergeant Mark Brejcha, NATO-Romania HAWK launch, 19JUL2017:

On 20OCT2018, Japanese army personnel launched ‘Improved’ HAWK missiles from Fort Bliss, Texas. USA-Reserve photo by Sergeant Christopher A. Hernandez.

AN/MPQ-50 Pulse Acquisition Radar (PAR) for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s (JGSDF) ‘Improved’ HAWK. USA-Reserve photo by Sergeant Christopher A. Hernandez, 20OCT2018.

NATO-Spain HAWK HIPR unit during war game held in NATO-Norway, 02NOV2018. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Menelik Collins.

Loading NATO-Spain HAWKs during war game held in NATO-Norway, 02NOV2018. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Menelik Collins.

The Iranians call their reversed engineered HAWK PAR system the Kavosh.

In 2019, photos published by the Iranian news media revealed that Iran was still using the AN/MPQ-50 Pulse Acquisition Radar originally designed for the HAWK, but this time Iran is using it for their own homemade anti-aircraft missile known as the Sayyad-2.

2021: South Korea retires last MIM-23 HAWK

On 04NOV2022, the NATO United States Department of Defense (DoD) announced the latest taxpayer funded giveaway for Ukraine, which includes rebuilt & upgraded Cold War era U.S. HAWK anti-aircraft missiles (to go with the four HAWK launchers being sent by NATO Spain).

Cold War to Ukraine Crisis: M1117, GUARDIAN OF SECURITY OR A FRANKENSTEIN?  Originating with Viet Nam era V100, now being given away to Ukraine!

Blade folding Army Black Hawks

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sharon Matthias, 10SEP2019.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sharon Matthias, 10SEP2019.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sharon Matthias, 10SEP2019.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sharon Matthias, 10SEP2019.

Video, folding UH-60 blades for loading onto C-17 Globemaster, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 09SEP2019:

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sharon Matthias, 10SEP2019.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sharon Matthias, 10SEP2019.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sharon Matthias, 10SEP2019.

Video, UH-60 blade folding for loading onto boats, Kuwait, 27APR2019:

Idaho blade folding: IDAHO BLACK HAWKS HEAD SOUTH, DOWN CENTRAL AMERICA WAY, YOU PAID FOR IT!

VEHICLE I-D: CBP’S BLACK HELICOPTERS DEPLOY TO PUERTO RICO, QUICK MINICRAFT REVIEW

MILITIA UH-60L LOOSES WINDSHIELD AT NTC!

SOUTH CAROLINA MILITIA’S SWITCH-BLADE APACHE

Hurricane Maria Vehicle I-D: CBP’s Black helicopters deploy to Puerto Rico, quick Minicraft kit review

In Arizona, awaiting night time load-up into C-5 Galaxy, destine for Puerto Rico. Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 01OCT2017.

Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 02OCT2017.

Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 02OCT2017.

C-5 delivers the CBP UH-60s to Puerto Rico. Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 02OCT2017.

Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 03OCT2017.

Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 07OCT2017.

Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 07OCT2017.

Photo via U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 13OCT2017.

Minicraft first issued its 1:48 scale UH-60 kits in 1986.  In 2001, Minicraft re-boxed it as a U.S. Customs Black Hawk.  The box art, and even photos of completed kit on the sides of the box, depict it with a FLIR pod under the chin, but no such animal can be found on the sprues.  All you get is a crappy looking search light.  I’ll have to scratch build the FLIR, or steal it from a different helicopter kit.   Many of the Customs Black Hawks have the bent tip rotary wings, the Minicraft kit still has the straight blades from the 1980s.  The Minicraft markings are for U.S. Customs, which ceased to exist as an independent agency in 2003, merged with U.S. Border Patrol, and parts of Immigration and Naturalization Service, becoming today’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  As you can see from the photos above, the CBP markings are slightly different from the old U.S. Customs markings, and today’s Black Hawk has an extended nose for housing the FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) as well as mounts on the side of the cockpit for other electronic gadgets. The interior of the Minicraft UH-60 is devoid of details, but can be expeditiously improved using the old-but-gold Monogram crew figures from the still viable Monogram UH-1 Huey (interesting that the Monogram ‘copter first issued in 1959 is more detailed than the Minicraft ‘copter first issued in 1986).

PJ Production also has a new resin set of 1:48 U.S. helicopter crew figures, although they’re sold as Vietnam era crew figures I think they could be used for late Cold War Black Hawks.

IDAHO BLACK HAWKS HEAD SOUTH, DOWN CENTRAL AMERICA WAY, YOU PAID FOR IT!

VEHICLE I-D: BLACK HAWK WITH SKIS

RF-84F THUNDERFLASH & YRF-84F, AN APPEAL TO MONOGRAM!

Iran launches first domestically produced Anti-Aircraft missile

The missile system is actually based on the old U.S. designed Hawk missile system.  The Iranians call their updated version ‘Shahin’ (not to be confused with ‘Shaheen’ which is a different missile system).

Most of the upgrades are related to search and track capabilities.  They say it’s a mid-altitude missile, one source saying its range is 15 miles (maybe they meant 15 kilometers?).  I can’t be sure of the performance claims, simply because the Iranian media gives wildly different data.  One source said the missile could reach 150 kilometers (93 miles), that’s the Thermosphere, man!