Why in News?
The AGM-114 Hellfire missile made headlines again after the US military released footage of a precision strike on a Botswana-flagged oil tanker (M/T Lexie) in the Persian Gulf.
Origins & Classification
- The Name: AGM-114 Hellfire stands for Heliborne Laser, Fire-and-Forget Missile.
- Origin & Manufacturer: Developed in the United States and manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
- Original Purpose: It entered active military service in 1984 during the Cold War. It was originally designed to destroy heavily armoured Soviet tank formations.
Technical Specifications
- Physical Size: Measures between 1.63 and 1.75 metres in length and features a standard 17.8-centimetre diameter.
- Weight: A lightweight design weighing between 45 kg and 49 kg.
- Propulsion & Speed: Driven by a single-stage, solid-fuel rocket motor that accelerates the missile to supersonic speeds of Mach 1.3 (approx. 1,600 km/h).
- Operational Range: Effectively engages designated targets at a distance between 7 and 11 kilometres.
Guidance Systems & Firepower
- Targeting Options: Features diverse guidance packages including semi-active laser tracking, millimeter-wave radar, and imaging infrared (IIR) systems.
- Warhead Versatility: Carries an 8 kg to 11 kg modular explosive payload. It accommodates High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) shapes, blast-fragmentation charges, or thermobaric configurations based on the mission.
- The "Ninja" Variant: A notable specialized model (AGM-114R9X) swaps explosive elements for six deployable internal blades to eliminate high-value human targets while avoiding collateral damage.
Launch Platforms & Global Users
- Multi-Platform Deployment: It can be fired from attack helicopters like the AH-64 Apache, unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) such as the MQ-9 Reaper, fixed-wing aircraft, naval ships, and mobile land units.
- International Export: The missile system is operated by more than 30 U.S. allies. Major international partners using the platform include the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and India.
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