Not just Leopard 2 tanks: Sweden to give Ukraine Hawk and IRIS-T air defence systems

The Swedish government has recently approved supplies of Stridsvagn 122 tanks (a modernized version of the Leopard 2) to Ukraine. As it turned out, the Swedes are also going to transfer air defence systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Here's What We Know

The question is about the Hawk antiaircraft missile system. In addition, Sweden together with Germany will transfer additional units for IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine. For security reasons Sweden does not specify the quantity of the equipment and the period of its delivery.

Flashback

Hawk (Homing All the Way Killer) is an American medium-range SAM. It was developed in 1954-1960 by Raytheon company. In 1960 it was adopted for service and since then it has received many modifications and improvements. The US Army stopped using Hawk in 2002. More than 40,000 Hawk and Hawk-borne missiles were produced. Hawk can intercept aircraft and missiles. Hawk has 85% chance of intercepting targets (I-Hawk modification). Maximum operational range of the complex is 50 km.

IRIS-T is a medium range surface-to-air missile system. It was developed by the German company Diehl Defence in 2014. The system is designed to destroy aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. IRIS-T is considered one of the most advanced air defence systems. Now Ukraine has one battery of anti-aircraft missile systems in service.

Source: government.se