The US asked Israel for old anti-aircraft missiles of the "Hook" model to transfer to Ukraine - voila! news

In video: Benjamin Netanyahu in his meeting with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan (Roam Media)

The Biden administration recently asked Israel for old anti-aircraft missiles of the "Hawk" model that were taken out of service and are in IDF warehouses, in order to transfer them to Ukraine for the purpose of strengthening its air defense system against attacks by the Russian Air Force, so said today (Wednesday) senior Israeli and American officials who are aware of the issue .

why is it important

• This is another attempt on the part of the Biden administration to convince the Israeli government to transfer defensive military aid to Ukraine.

  So far, Israel has refused almost every American request to transfer military aid to Ukraine, expressing fear that such a move would create tensions with Russia and harm Israeli security interests in Syria.

"Hook" missile battery.

Biden, and Netanyahu (photo: official website, Air Force website)

reminder

• Israel purchased Hawk anti-aircraft missiles from the United States as early as the 1960s and used them in the Six Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. In those years, this air defense system, developed by the American company Raytheon, was considered , for the most advanced technology.

• Over the years, Israel purchased new air defense systems from the United States, primarily the Patriot system.

  Israel has even developed a series of highly advanced air defense systems such as "Iron Dome", "Arrow" and "Magic Wand".

• About a decade ago, the IDF withdrew the "Hawk" missiles from active service and dismantled the reserve units that operated the system. A senior Israeli official said that about 10 "Hawk" launcher batteries were moved to storage in IDF naval bases along with hundreds of interceptors and they are There to this day.

Behind the Scenes

• Senior Israeli and American officials said that about two weeks ago the American Ministry of Defense contacted the Israeli Ministry of Defense and requested that Israel hand over the old "Hook" systems that are in storage and the interceptors in order to transfer them to Ukraine.

• The American official noted that a similar request was forwarded in the last two months to several other countries that still use the "hook" system or those that keep them in storage.

  The United States itself is trying these days to refurbish launchers and interceptors of the "Hawk" system that are in its possession and transfer them to Ukraine.

• A senior Israeli official said that the head of the political-security division at the Ministry of Defense, Dror Shalom, told his counterparts at the US Department of Defense that there is no change in Israel's policy of denying the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

• Shalom told his counterparts at the Pentagon that the "Hook" systems in Israel's hands are unusable and cannot function because they have been stored for many years without any maintenance.

  He noted that their only use could be as scrap metal.

• But Israeli officials claim that this claim is inaccurate.

  According to them, while the launchers probably cannot be put back into operation, it is believed that the hundreds of "Hook" interceptors stored in Israel can undergo renovation and return to operational use.

"Hook" missile battery (photo: Ministry of Defense, courtesy of the IDF Archives at the Ministry of Defense)

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what are they saying

• In a speech he gave on January 10 at a gathering of the pro-Israeli lobby AIPAC in Washington, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin alluded to the request that the administration made to Israel regarding the "Hawk" missiles. His words went under the radar and received almost no attention in the media.

• Austin told the heads of IPAC that the "Hawk" systems that the United States provided to Israel helped it defend itself against Egypt and Syria in the 1960s and 1970s. "Now, the "Hawk" missiles are no longer the pinnacle of technology.

  But they can help another democracy under siege to defend itself," said the US defense secretary.

• Austin added that the United States is working with its allies around the world to provide "Hawk" air defense systems to the Ukrainian army.

• The Ministry of Defense stated in response: "The policy of the defense system has not changed. Each request is examined on its merits. Beyond that, we do not refer to any further details."

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Tags

• United States

• Ukraine

• Nm

• Israel