Taiwan's Hawk Missiles Bolster Ukraine's Air-Defenses Amidst Growing Discontent in Russian Army

The United States is reportedly negotiating with Taiwan to buy back a dozen or so HAWK surface-to-air missile (SAM) batteries, consisting of around a hundred launchers, which Taiwan retired in 2015. The plan is for the US to donate these ex-Taiwanese launchers, along with missiles and associated equipment, to Ukraine to bolster its air-defense network. This would help Ukraine address the depletion of missile stocks for its ex-Soviet S-300 and Buk SAMs, which have been significantly reduced during the ongoing conflict with Russia. The HAWK launchers could potentially be compatible with Ukraine's existing US-Norwegian NASAMS system, offering a more sustainable and modern air-defense capability.