The hawk is very similar to the harpy - it has the same 5/4/2 slot layout (simply exchanging the four turret slots for four launcher hardpoints), a similar speed, and a missile velocitygiving it the capability to engage at long range if desired.

The key difference with the hawk is its weapon system - while a standard missile/rocket hawk will generally deal less damage than a rail/blaster harpy respectively, it can do so much more consistently - without having to worry about the range of blasters or the potential tracking difficulty of rails. It's worth noting that the damage bonus on the hawk is 10% - twice that of all the other assault frigs, which only receive a 5% bonus per frigate skill level.

With standard missiles, a hawk can easily hit out to about 60km. However, dps at this range is fairly poor and the grid consumption of standard launchers means that fitting an MSE tank is fairly unlikely. Standard missile hawks are likely to be lightly tanked, if at all. With rockets however, the hawk puts out much better dps (although still fairly average for a close range AF) at anywhere up to around 15km, or further with javelin. Unlike the harpy which can potentially be held at range though, the hawk can easily apply damage to anything in web range, regardless of its angular velocity etc. As with the vengeance your best defence against its rockets is to maximise your own speed, however the likelihood of the hawk fitting a web is high, making this a difficult task. If you find a hawk without a web, you should be able to significantly reduce its damage output by doing this.

One other interesting aspect of the hawk is that it receives a bonus to shield boost amount. Active shield tanks are much trickier in pvp than active armour tanks, since you can rarely dedicate all of your mids to tank in the same way that you potentially can with your lows for an armour tank (this is also why the single slot MSE shield tank is so popular on frigs). Because of this the hawk can't field anything like the vengeance's fearsome active tank, however it can do enough to have a significant effect in a 1v1 environment, especially if the pilot is using combat boosters or a (relatively) cheap deadspace shield booster. As with the harpy, EM is usually by far the best choice of damage type against this ship.

Source: http://altruist.azual.co.uk/2011/06/know-your-enemy-t2-frigates-part-1.html

• Caldari Frigate V
  • Spaceship Command I

• Assault Frigates I
  • Mechanics V
  • Power Grid Management V
  • Spaceship Command III

Following in the footsteps of Caldari vessels since time immemorial, the Hawk relies on tremendously powerful shield systems to see it through combat, blending launchers and turrets to provide for a powerful, well-rounded combat vessel.

Developer: Lai Dai

Lai Dai have always favored a balanced approach to their mix of on-board systems, leading to a line-up of versatile ships but providing very little in terms of tactical specialization.

Caldari Frigate Skill Bonuses (Per Skill Level):
10% bonus to kinetic Light Missile and Rocket damage
5% bonus to Light Missile and Rocket launcher rate of fire

Assault Frigates Skill Bonuses (Per Skill Level):
10% bonus to Light Missile and Rocket max velocity
7.5% bonus to Shield Booster amount

Role Bonus:
50% reduction in Microwarpdrive signature radius penalty