The United States has opened a modernized missile service center for MIM-23 HAWK and other "non-standard missile systems," known as the Theater Readiness Monitoring Facility.
The upgraded facility, part of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Oklahoma, was inaugurated on February 20, as recently reported by the U.S. Army press service. Although Hawk air defense systems are no longer in service with the U.S. military, they remain operational in several countries across the world and have become a key reinforcement for Ukraine’s air defense.
Read more: Did Taiwan “Indirectly Transfer” MIM-23 Hawk Missiles to Ukraine, and Did Ukraine Actually Receive Them?
The center is tasked with restoring, repairing, testing, and re-certifying Hawk missiles. As of 2025, a total of 2,751 missiles for this system had been tested at McAlester, though it is unclear over what timeframe. It is possible this figure covers all tests conducted since the late 1950s, when the Hawk system first entered service.
In any case, investing in the modernization of a Hawk missile service center is a significant move amid the global shortage of ground-based air defense systems. By 2021, this SAM system had already been retired — or was being phased out of service — by many countries, having largely reached the end of its operational lifespan.
However, nations still using Hawk systems may now slow down or reconsider their decommissioning plans. These include Spain, Sweden, Romania (which is currently holding a €2.7 billion tender for a replacement), Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan; some sources also list the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore as operators.
This contrasts with Taiwan, which decommissioned its Hawk systems entirely by 2023. The U.S. decision to invest in the service center upgrade is directly linked to supporting these active users.
Another key Hawk operator is Ukraine, which received two batteries from Spain — the only publicly known transfers of these air defense systems. To sustain their operational readiness, in April 2024, the U.S. approved the sale of "HAWK Phase III Missile System Sustainment" and related supplies to Ukraine, valued at $138 million.
Read more: Repair and Modernization for Ukrainian HAWK missiles: Sale Agreed, Money Allocated
