Firing the Hawk and Lance Missiles 1991

[TheMacdude67]

also have some video of the ASP firing for 1988 and tours of the ruins amongst other HAWK related video

[TheMacdude67]

was a 16E HAWK Fire control crewman and was there in Crete for our ASP of 87 and 88. Nice scenery down at the beaches and so much alcohol. Got to see a LANCE fire as well. Got a great still of it on ignition with the smoke comming out of it midway up the missle. I wonder if Zorba's is still there and all those dracma tacked to the walls? At rexx 1962, don't know about the hookers but the bartender at "Just A Pup' at Chanea harbor was finer than the day is long. Dam wish I had taken her picture.

[rexx1962]

I was a Lance gunner with C 1/32 FA from 81-84, got to go to Crete 4 times. I remember outside the kaserne, going to "Pops" restaurant and his goat steak dinners and Uzo toasts after the inspections for our "launch" party. It wasn't as good after he died in 83, but we still had "Zorba's" right outside the gate there then catch a taxi into Hania and the waterfront bars and Mino's street where the red light district was, they had some of the oldest and ugliest hookers ever there!

[volklyeti]

That is awesome, I was there in 1986 and 1987 as a part of the Lance Missile Unit C Battery 2nd/377 Unit!!!!  What a great time that was!!

[jjjazzycraig]

i was in the triple nickel deuce...went to crete and got fucked up on the uzo with guys and gals from the 3/68th from fort bragg...one gal gave my buddy crabs and herpes...she was more dangerous than the missiles.

[Content2B]

I worked on the Lance sys from 1984 until 1991. Always wanted to go to Greece to see a test fire.

[keelsa001]

Great video. I spent a lot of time at NAMFI from 1970-1972 as a 24D. Left there and went to a Nike site as a 24P. Enjoyed Hawk a lot more. Visited my old Hawk Site in Amberg, Germany last year. All gone. The casern is now a park.

[broncofangj]

remember what hawk stood for?

Holiday and weekend killer

Hall ass with kable...i know its mispelled but thats why I was in the army and not in college..lol...

[Ketsev]

Homing all the way killer

[john44402]

Good days indeed. I "did" Namfi 82-84. And boy do I remember the Ouzo, the food and scenery.

[myway43]

Was at Namfi in 84'. Had a lot of fun. Worked hard, but had fun. Got to eat goat steak, souflaki, and french fried squid on the waterfront in Hanya. What a great time! Introduced to home brewed Ouzo (Whew!) , and spent the night on Steve Street, that was a learning experience. Still have some of my Dracmas left as a souvenier. Good days friends.

[sacarmyvet]

Ex-US Army 16D Hawker here. Those were the days. Man did I love live fire week in Greece. Chania was a blast. Looking forward to going back some day.

[derrickchick]

Man do I remember the days at Namfi. Greece is great in the summer but once we had a november firing and that was the worse week i can ever remember. Cold, wet and rainy.

[Ng7]

Yesterday they gave me a profession to hawk in greek army. i hope it will be interesting.

[diverkev]

Good luck to you. It's like anything else. You get out what you put into it.

[MrIzo56]

Where is the launching site? Souda? close to Chania?

[diverkev]

It's closer to Chania. There was a landing strip

NW of the range. The firing range was on a bluff on the southern side of the island. We stayed at the NAMFI Barracks

[grnick83]

I am currently serving my duty in a hawk battery in Greece, Phase 3 hybrid with kongsberk bfdc replacing the bcc, mim-23b missiles and all other equipment upgraded as per the U.S. phase3. I have a few videos of the battery but i'm not willing to post them yet.

[diverkev]

I thought that would have phased the Hawk out by now. I have a video of the Hawk Missile being fired in my other Create video. I wonder if there are countries that still use the Lance?

Do they still have NAMFI?

[grnick83]

Namfi is still operative and we fired Hawks in 2007

[thumbwave]

Interesting. You're video has the same interference every 3 seconds like ours did (1986 footage). It's from the PAR up on the hill behind you, rotating at 20 RPMs. Good stuff!

[spudwhank]

I was 24K20 CW repair attached to the NAMFI in Crete April to September 81. Love this video.

[diverkev]

Thank you I'm glad you liked it.

[madisonhack]

I worked on the HAWK as a Missile/Launcher Technician 22K20 1970-1973, Okinawa '71-72 and Ft.Bliss,TX '72-73. That thing worked pretty good even with hybrid technology (tubes & transistors). Standard mission was a two missile launch, and you were sure to hit your target.

[diverkev]

Thank you for the compliment. Is the Hawk still being used or did they phase it out and go with the Patriot?

[madisonhack]

I don't know. I didn't keep up with things after I was discharged. Actually I began in the Nike Hercules system and was switched to HAWK early in my career, so I saw that system as well.

[kahlil72]

Yes, the Regular US Army phased out the HAWK system in 1994. Army Nat'l Guard, US Marines, and various Foreign Allies were still using HAWK after 94. I don't know HAWK's current status. I doubt it sees much use. I was a HAWK tech from 90-94. That was one durable and reliable missile system. Great vid!

[diverkev]

Thanks for the reply. I guess like the saying goes

" If it isn't broke, don't try to fix it." Is it true that in field tet, a Patriot Missile hit and destroyed a Lance Missile in flight ?

[5925USMC]

Outstanding, best shoot footage I have seen in a while.

[diverkev]

Thank you for your compliment. There is some fantastic video that was done in the Heberdise Islands. The video was taken by Philhurst who I believe served in the British Army.