Raytheon’s Hawk XXI Air Defense Missile System - Weapons on Offer to India

	( India Strategic) : The Hawk XXI Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD) Missile System is one of the world’s most advanced all-weather, short to medium-range, low-to-medium-altitude air defense missile systems. Hawk XXI provides air defense against a variety of targets, including fixed and rotary wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and short range tactical ballistic missiles.
	This mobile system is highly lethal, reliable, and effective against electronic countermeasures. Hawk systems were deployed by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In response to the initial Iraqi attacks, Kuwaiti air defense Hawk units destroyed approximately 22 Iraqi fighters and helicopters. Hawk XXI provides full interoperability and situational awareness, high firepower, lethality, and reliability. The key to these system capabilities is the Fire Distribution Center (FDC) that can be configured as a Battery Mobile Command Post (BMCP).  The FDC – a modular and flexible C2 entity The modular FDC introduces new and modern technology all designed to optimize the war fighting capabilities of Hawk XXI. The FDC is characterized by its advanced fire control system, tactical interfaces and human machine interface (HMI), and the introduction of actual digitized terrain and map data; all based on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) processing systems. Due to its modular design, other variants of the Raytheon/ Kongsberg FDC are used with Surface Launched AMRAAM, naval strike missiles, and VSHORAD. The FDC can be integrated in a wide range of shelters mounted on both wheeled and tracked vehicles based on customer mobility requirements. The FDC performs data link management, sensor control, air picture production, track identification and classification, friendly protection, threat ordering, weapon allocation, engagement control and kill assessment. There is an embedded Force Operation’s tool for deployment planning, and scenario generation for realistic basic and enhanced training. The Hawk XXI FDC can also expand into controlling different launch platforms. The FDC is pre-wired for Hawk, AMRAAM and VSHORAD operations. National system capabilities can be added with software designed and developed by host nation industrial partners. The Hawk XXI batteries can be netted, constituting a Hawk XXI battalion or regiment. The link between the netted batteries and higher echelon unit (HEU) is the Battalion Operations Center (BOC) that can be configured as a Regimental Mobile Command Post (RMCP). The BOC is an advanced Command & Control Post for Battle Management, Coordination and Optimization of GBAD units at battalion level. The BOC has real-time engagement operation capabilities as well as mission planning capabilities and may be expanded to handle Engagement and Force Operations at regiment and above. The BOC is capable of merging and exploiting the capabilities of different air defense systems, including Early Warning sensors and national air defense systems, and fully integrating them into one fighting force. The outcome is increased combat efficiency through focus of force, shared awareness, and synchronization of assets in time and space and increased speed in the decision-making processes. nteroperability and mission configuration adaptability – are key features of the Hawk XXI system Interoperability and mission adaptability have become a commonly identified key components in the success of modern warfare. Each system in a joint and/ or combined theatre of operation contributes to a subset of information necessary to conduct military operations with a successful outcome. The BOC’s and FDC’s integration of tactical data links involves both the handling of relevant messages according to the standard message catalogue and the implementation of functionality in the C4I software to support the needed level of air defense system interoperability. The Battery Net Data Link (BNDL) is used for tactical operations and contains the primary means for integration to other FDCs in the operation’s area. This event driven high-speed high capacity link provides hard real time (milliseconds) data to all FDCs in the network. The BNDL enables all FDCs to see the exact same air picture/ tracks on their displays at the same time. This single correlated air picture is sent to higher echelon unit via the BOC. The implementation of standard tactical data links ensures interoperability with other national and allied forces as well as with adjacent air defense systems such as Patriot. The BOC and FDC are built on the exact same hardware and software architecture, and this open system design and standard facilitate the reuse of software, hardware and the injection of new technologies as they emerge. Summary - The highly effective, mobile and mission adaptable Hawk XXI air and missile defense system is being offered to Indian services to meet or exceed both the Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Defense as well as the Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) defense capability. The HAWK XXI system has demonstrated the ability to configure across multiple missions, employing multiple missile types. Experts observe this adaptability should enable Hawk XXI to meet requirements of both the Indian Air Force and Army. It provides asset commonality for both services reducing life cycle costs, maintenance and logistics overhead, while simplifying training. Hawk XXI provides the right foundation to develop and integrate a layered Air and Missile Defense that will greatly benefit the Indian defense modernization roadmap.