Turkish forces in Libya has redeployed the MIM-23 Hawk medium-range air defence systems in Libya’s Al Watiya Airbase, and replaced it with the more modern HİSAR-O100 systems.
For a long time, the MIM-23 Hawk has been the primary medium-range air defence system in use by the UN-recognized Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU), which Turkey supports.
The Hawk has been credited with multiple drone and helicopter kills especially during the last civil war with the Libyan National Army (LNA).
The MIM-23 HAWK (Homing All the Way Killer) is an all-weather low to medium altitude surface-to-air missile system developed and designed by the U.S.-based company Raytheon. It was delivered by Turkey to the GNU as part of a military assistance package, ahead of its planned incursion into Libya.
As part of the contingent, an AN/MPQ-64 radar system was also deployed. The AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel 3D phased array, X-band radar is able to automatically detect, track, identify, classify and report airborne threats including helicopters, high-speed attack aircraft, cruise missiles, and UAVs.
The Libya Update an open-source media outlet has shared satellite imagery of the base with upgraded MIM-23 Hawk SAMs deployed by Turkiye and the recent ones showing HİSAR-O100 launchers located in the area where Hawks were stationed.
Designed by Aselsan, and is dedicated to air defense of stationary forces and critical installations against various aerial threats.
Since the Turkish-made HİSAR-O100 is mounted on a 6×6 truck while MIM-23 Hawk is towed, it is fairly easy to identify the two systems apart.
Compared to the modernised Hawk SAM, the HİSAR-O100 offers advantages in engagement flexibility and missile characteristics. Where Hawk has to rotate its turret towards the target, HİSAR-O100’s vertical launch capability reduces the time spent before firing, a matter of importance, especially at short and medium ranges.
Secondly, HİSAR-O100 has an advantage in missiles with IIR and active RF seeker missile options, while Hawk’s missiles are semi-active RF-guided, and the target has to be illuminated all the way. Additionally, within this subject, HİSAR-O+ and HİSAR-O RF missiles’ dual-pulse propulsion contributes to interception chances with a final ignition at the approach to the target.
Turkiye had earlier deployed its KORKUT-100/35S SPAAG, air defence systems is the deployment which features two 35 mm revolver cannons capable of firing ATOM air-burst ammunition.
The Al-Watiya air base was seized From Haftar’s forces after a fierce battle which resulted in a humiliating defeat for the LNA as most of their major weapons were captured and publicly paraded in Tripoli the country’s capital.
The air defence systems will work alongside the newly delivered Chinese QW-18 MANPADs. GNA forces have been supplied with man portable air defense systems (MANPAD), on Saturday 28 June 2020.