The US State Department has authorized a $108.1-million support contract for Ukraine’s FrankenSAM HAWK missile systems.
The US State Department has authorized a $108.1-million support contract for Ukraine’s FrankenSAM HAWK missile systems.
The package for Ukraine covers sustainment, system upgrades, spare parts, repair services, logistics assistance, and technical support for the country’s FrankenSAM HAWK systems.
Kyiv also requested erectable mast trailers and contractor engineering support.
Sierra Nevada Corporation will serve as the principal contractor.
Washington said the proposed sale would enhance the war-torn nation’s air defense capacity to address current and advanced threats.
It would also bolster “the security of a partner country that is a force for political and economic stability in Europe,” and would not alter the regional military balance or affect the American military’s readiness.
The FrankenSAM HAWK Capability
The announcement follows earlier US approvals tied to the HAWK system as Ukraine continues to expand its air defense network against missile and drone strikes.
FrankenSAM HAWK, short for surface-to-air missile – Homing All the Way Killer, is an improvised configuration of the Raytheon-made MIM-23 HAWK medium-range air defense weapon.
MIM-23 was originally developed in the 1960s to intercept low-flying threats, while its latest variant combines legacy HAWK missiles with modern Western systems and modified Soviet-era launchers.
Allies first supplied the FrankenSAM HAWK platform to Ukraine in 2022 to help counter Russian aerial attacks.
Each HAWK missile spans 17 feet (5 meters) long and weighs 1,290 pounds (585 kilograms). It has a diameter of 15 inches (38 centimeters) and a wingspan of 3 feet (0.9 meters).
The missile’s dedicated warhead is built for blast fragmentation effects and weighs 119 pounds (54 kilograms).
Powered by a solid-fuel rocket engine, the weapon can reach a maximum speed of Mach 2.4 (1,841 miles/2,964 kilometers per hour), a range of over 30 miles (48 kilometers), and an altitude of 65,000 feet (19,812 meters).
