Hawk

Overview

Hawk is a submarine cable system spanning approximately 3,400 km across the eastern Mediterranean, connecting Cyprus, Egypt, and France. Operational since 2011, the cable provides a direct route between Europe and the eastern Mediterranean basin, serving as a critical link for regional and international communications. Hawk is designed to enhance connectivity between the island nation of Cyprus, the North African coast, and southern France, playing a pivotal role in supporting telecommunications, internet services, and data exchange in the region.

Hawk’s strategic placement in the Mediterranean underscores its importance in linking diverse geographic and economic zones. It directly connects the European Union, through France, with the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa, facilitating trade, communication, and digital services. The cable’s focused regional scope complements larger intercontinental systems while offering a specialized route for high-speed connectivity.

Route and Landings

Hawk has three landing points: Yeroskipos in Cyprus, Alexandria in Egypt, and Marseille in France. In Cyprus, the cable lands at Yeroskipos, a coastal town near Paphos on the island's southwestern coast. This location provides a critical gateway for Cyprus, connecting it directly to continental Europe and North Africa. Cyprus, as an island nation, relies heavily on submarine cables for international connectivity, making Hawk a vital asset for its economy and infrastructure.

In Egypt, Hawk lands at Alexandria, a historic Mediterranean port city and a key hub for submarine cable systems. Alexandria serves as a critical node for cables transiting between Europe, Africa, and Asia, leveraging Egypt’s strategic position at the crossroads of continents. Finally, in France, the cable terminates in Marseille, a major hub for submarine cable infrastructure. Marseille’s proximity to extensive data centers and telecommunications networks makes it one of Europe’s most significant landing points, enabling Hawk to integrate seamlessly into broader European and global networks.

Ownership and History

Hawk is owned by FLAG, a prominent operator with a long history of developing and managing submarine cable systems. FLAG has been instrumental in building intercontinental and regional networks across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for over three decades. Hawk represents one of FLAG’s regional cable systems, designed to address the specific connectivity needs of the eastern Mediterranean and its links to Europe and North Africa.

The cable became ready for service in 2011 and has since remained an active component of the region’s telecommunications infrastructure. By providing direct connectivity between Cyprus, Egypt, and France, Hawk complements other regional and intercontinental systems, offering redundancy and additional capacity to meet growing data demands. Its focused design distinguishes it from longer, more expansive systems, emphasizing its role as a regional connector.

What Our Measurements Show

Our live monitoring of the Hawk cable indicates a well-performing system, with 211 measured corridors providing insights into its operational efficiency. The best recorded round-trip time (RTT) is 33 milliseconds, while the average RTT is 79 milliseconds. These measurements are consistent with the cable’s length and its role as a regional connector in the Mediterranean.

The cable’s performance highlights its reliability and speed, making it a valuable asset for users in Cyprus, Egypt, and France. By offering low-latency connections, Hawk supports a range of applications, including internet services, cloud computing, and international business communications. The direct connectivity it provides is particularly beneficial for Cyprus, enhancing its integration into European and global markets. Similarly, the cable strengthens Egypt’s position as a key transit hub for global telecommunications, while the Marseille landing ensures seamless access to Europe’s extensive data and telecommunications infrastructure.