Air defenses gone, Russia dominates Ukraine airspace

By their own admission, the Ukrainians desperately need air defenses. Most of the high end systems previously delivered from the US and Europe either have been destroyed or have run out of interceptor missiles.

NATO is searching for replacement missiles and parts for the Patriot air defense system. Germany, along with others in Europe, says there areno available interceptor missiles for the Patriot systems in Ukraine. Meanwhile,Norway has promised more NASAMS, but they need to be built. Europe has handed over its stock of IRIS-T missiles and new ones won’t be available at least until 2025

Now the US has announced it will provide $138 million in an emergency sale to maintain and repair HAWK air defense systems previously delivered to Ukraine.

An emergency sale will probably be on credit loan with little chance Ukraine will ever pay for the transaction. Eventually it’s likely to be paid for by the gargantuan $60 billion Ukraine aid program that awaits approval by the House of Representatives.

Ukraine has the Improved HAWK Phase III. The US approached Taiwan and Israel for I-HAWK (stands for improved HAWK). Taiwan decided to scrap its HAWKS. Israel said its HAWKS were in very bad repair and not operational. Spain first provided its HAWK Phase III system to Ukraine and later agreed to provide six more systems.

Reading between the lines, either the Spanish-origin HAWKS sent to Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed or most of them are found to be no longer operational. Otherwise the State Department would not be urging an “emergency” sale of repairs, components and missiles to Ukraine. (Keep in mind that “used” parts will be billed at bargain basement prices.)

The HAWK is a semi-mobile air defense system that dates back to