Missiles & Air Defence

How many HAWK air defence systems does Kuwait have? Numbers, history and current status

The short answer

The arms transfers database of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), as cited by reference pages on the Kuwait Air Force, indicates around 5 systems/batteries of the US-made MIM-23 HAWK (I-HAWK) “in service” as of the latest available data, with no precise published update date for this particular figure. Historically, Kuwait bought six HAWK batteries after the 1991 liberation (with around 342 missiles), after Iraq seized four Kuwaiti HAWK batteries during the 1990 invasion. No recent official Kuwaiti or US sources (neither an announcement from the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defence nor a DSCA notification) conclusively confirm or deny that HAWK remains in operation today, while all of Kuwait’s recently announced air defence activity (2023–2026) has shifted toward the Patriot and NASAMS systems. Open sources indicate that the exact current number of operational HAWK batteries remains not fully confirmed.

MIM-23 HAWK missile — General illustrative image of an MIM-23 HAWK (I-HAWK) missile, the same type Kuwait operates in its system; the image is not specifically linked to a Kuwaiti unit. Source: White Sands Missile Range Museum, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

How many are known?

Historical purchase (1991–1992): six Improved HAWK (I-HAWK) batteries with around 342 missiles, as part of a wider air defence package that also included Patriot missiles, after the liberation of Kuwait.
Earlier losses (1990): four Kuwaiti HAWK batteries seized by the Iraqi army during the invasion, a figure separate in time from the later 1991–1992 purchase that should not be confused with it.
Contemporary figure (SIPRI): around 5 systems “in service” according to the SIPRI database, without independent confirmation from a recent official Kuwaiti or US source.

Note on data quality: this is a topic with medium-to-poor data quality compared with other topics in this series; the figures in circulation (4, 5, 6) relate to different phases and events (war losses, initial purchase, an estimated contemporary count), and no single official source settles the number actually operational today.

Which types?

Item	Number/status	Approximate date	Source
HAWK batteries lost to Iraq	4 batteries	1990 invasion	Wikipedia – Kuwait Air Force
HAWK batteries bought after liberation	6 batteries + ~342 missiles	1991–1992	GlobalSecurity.org
HAWK systems “in service” (contemporary estimate)	~5 systems	Not precisely dated	SIPRI Arms Transfers Database

When were they delivered?

The main batch of HAWK batteries arrived in Kuwait in the early 1990s (1991–1992), as part of rebuilding Kuwait’s air defence system after the Second Gulf War and the liberation of the country from Iraqi occupation, alongside a parallel deal for Patriot missiles.

Are they still in service?

This is the least clear question in this file. The only semi-official figure available (around 5 systems) comes from the SIPRI database via reference pages without a precise update date, and it is not confirmed by recent Kuwaiti or US sources. By contrast, all DSCA notifications and Kuwaiti contracts announced in 2023–2026 show a complete focus on the Patriot and NASAMS systems. This leaves two possibilities: HAWK continuing as a reserve or secondary system alongside Patriot, or a gradual decline in its role without an explicit official announcement of its withdrawal from service. Neither possibility can be confirmed with confidence from current open sources.

Upgrades/modernisation

No DSCA notification was found concerning an upgrade of Kuwait’s HAWK system (of the kind Ukraine received in 2025, known as the “HAWK Phase III” programme). All recently documented Kuwaiti upgrade and technical support activity centres on Patriot: an upgrade and recertification of PAC-2 GEM missiles worth around $400 million (DSCA notification, April 2025), a PDB 8.1 software upgrade with an estimated value of $425 million, and a later deal for the IBCS integrated command network and lower-tier air defence sensors with an estimated value of up to $8 billion (March 2026).

Are there new orders?

There are no known new orders for the HAWK system itself. Instead, Kuwait has expanded its air defence investment by ordering the Norwegian-American NASAMS system worth about $1 billion, alongside the multiple Patriot deals mentioned above — a path suggesting that HAWK is outside the scope of Kuwait’s future investment, although this has not been officially announced as a retirement decision.

Which weapons are used with it?

The HAWK system uses its dedicated MIM-23 missile and is typically paired with an AN/MPQ-50 long-range search radar and an AN/MPQ-46 tracking/target illumination radar, as well as a low-altitude continuous-wave acquisition radar (CWAR) in some configurations. These are the standard components of the Improved HAWK system as fielded by dozens of countries around the world.

US Patriot system in the Kuwaiti desert near Camp Doha — Illustrative image of a US Patriot system deployed in the Kuwaiti desert near Camp Doha; it is not an image of the HAWK system but of another system that reflects the evolution of Kuwait’s air defence toward Patriot. Source: US Army/US Department of Defense, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Who is the manufacturer?

The HAWK system was originally developed through a joint effort between Raytheon (now part of the RTX group) and Northrop (now part of Northrop Grumman). It is a Cold War-era programme that remains in service with a number of countries around the world, despite its declining role compared with newer systems such as Patriot and NASAMS.

Last updated

14 November 2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the HAWK system still in Kuwaiti service?
Recent open sources neither conclusively confirm nor deny this; the only available figure (around 5 systems) comes from the SIPRI database without a precise update date, in the absence of any recent official Kuwaiti or US announcement about it.

What is the difference between HAWK and Patriot?
HAWK is a Cold War-era medium-range, medium-altitude system, while Patriot is technically newer, longer-ranged and capable of dealing with advanced ballistic and air threats; it is today the actual backbone of Kuwait’s air defence.

Did Kuwait receive the HAWK “Phase III” upgrade like Ukraine?
There is no DSCA record to prove this; the known “HAWK Phase III” programme was documented specifically for Ukraine in 2025.

How many HAWK batteries did Kuwait lose during the 1990 Iraqi invasion?
Four Improved HAWK batteries according to available sources, a figure different from the later purchase of six batteries after liberation.