US may buy MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile systems from Taiwan to bolster Ukraine's air defences

The Ukrainian Armed Forces may receive a new batch of MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile systems. But to do this, the USA must buy them from Taiwan.

Here's What We Know

According to the Chinese publication ChinaTimes, the US may buy the decommissioned surface-to-air missile systems together with the missiles and transfer them to Ukraine. The Taiwanese army has more than a dozen systems and nearly four dozen radar stations in service.

The MIM-23 Hawk is an American-made medium-range surface-to-air missile system. It was adopted into service some 60 years ago and was modernised several times before being replaced by the MIM-104 Patrtiot system.

The complex can be used to intercept cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. The anti-aircraft missile with a 54-kilogram warhead has a launch range of up to 50 kilometres. The maximum intercept altitude is 20 kilometres.

Source: ChinaTimes