HAWK MISSILE BATTALION

The HAWK Missile Battalion is a specialized air defense unit equipped with the MIM-23 HAWK (Homing All the Way Killer) surface-to-air missile system, originally developed by the United States in the late 1950s. First deployed in 1959, these battalions were tasked with providing medium-range air defense against low- to medium-altitude aircraft and later, certain types of missiles. HAWK Missile Battalions played vital roles during the Cold War, deployed in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and saw combat service in conflicts such as the Yom Kippur War and the Iran-Iraq War. Over time, the system underwent several upgrades to improve its radar, guidance, and lethality, before being gradually replaced by more advanced systems like the Patriot missile in most U.S. and allied forces.