A modernized missile service center for the MIM-23 HAWK surface-to-air missile systems and "non-standard missile systems" has been opened in the USA, named the Theater Readiness Monitoring Facility.
The inauguration of this upgraded facility, which is part of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Oklahoma, took place on February 20, as reported recently by the US Army's press service. While the HAWK missile system is not currently in active service with the US military, it remains operational in several countries worldwide and has become a significant enhancement to Ukraine's air defense.
The center is tasked with carrying out a full range of restoration, repair, testing, and re-certification of HAWK missiles. As of 2025, a total of 2,751 missiles for this system had been inspected at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant. However, the specific timeframe for this inspection is not mentioned, and it is quite possible that it refers to the entire period since the late 1950s, when HAWK was first introduced into service.
In any case, investing in the modernization of the missile service center for the MIM-23 HAWK is a significant move in the context of the global landscape of ground-based air defense systems. As of 2021, this missile system had already been decommissioned or was in the process of being decommissioned by many countries, and objectively, it was nearing the end of its operational life.
Currently, countries that operate these missile systems, including Spain, Sweden, Romania (which is currently conducting a tender for €2.7 billion for replacement), Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan (with some sources also mentioning the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore), may now reconsider their decisions, unlike Taiwan, which retired all of these systems in 2023. This is closely related to the US decision to invest in upgrading its service center.
It is also important to remember that Ukraine is another operator of the MIM-23 HAWK, having received two batteries from Spain. This represents the only publicly known supply of these air defense systems. To support their operational readiness, in April 2024, the US approved the sale to Ukraine of "support systems for the HAWK missile system" with a maximum value of up to $138 million.