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March 31, 2022

DESCRIPTION

The AGM-114 HELLFIRE Family of Missiles includes the HELLFIRE II and Longbow HELLFIRE Missiles. HELLFIRE II is a precision strike, Semi-Active Laser (SAL)-guided missile and is the principal air-to-ground weapon for the Army AH-64 Apache, MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), Special Operations aircraft, Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra, and Air Force Predator and Reaper UAS. 

The SAL HELLFIRE II missile is guided by laser energy reflected off the target. It has three warhead variants: a dual-warhead, shaped-charge, high-explosive anti-tank capability for armored targets (AGM-114K); a blast fragmentation warhead for urban, patrol boat, and other “soft” targets (AGM-114M); and a metal-augmented charge warhead (AGM-114N) for urban structures, bunkers, radar sites, communications installations, and bridges.   

Beginning in 2012, a HELLFIRE II multipurpose warhead variant (AGM-114R) became available to the Warfighter and allows for selection of warhead effects corresponding to a specific target type. The AMG-114R took the place of the K/M/N warhead capability and can be launched from Army rotary-wing and UAS platforms. It also provides the pilot with increased operational flexibility.  

The Longbow HELLFIRE (AGM-114L) is a precision strike missile using Millimeter Wave (MMW) radar guidance instead of the HELLFIRE II’s SAL. It is the principal anti-tank system for the AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter and uses the same anti-armor warhead as the HELLFIRE II. The MMW seeker provides beyond-line-of-sight, fire-and-forget capability, as well as the ability to operate in adverse weather and battlefield obscurants.  

BENEFIT TO THE SOLDIER 

HELLFIRE provides the Warfighter with an air-to-ground, point-target precision strike capability to defeat advanced armor and an array of traditional and nontraditional targets.  

SPECIFICATIONS 

  • Diameter: 7 inches 
  • Weight: 99.8-107 pounds 
  • Length: 64-69 inches 
  • HELLFIRE II AGM-114R maximum range:
    • Direct fire: 7.1 km
    • Indirect fire: 8 km 
  • Minimum range: 0.5-1.5 km

PROGRAM STATUS  

  • FY16–FY18: HELLFIRE II missiles procured annually to replace combat expenditures 
  • FY18-FY20: K, M, and N Models are no longer in Production

PROJECTED ACTIVITIES 

FY21–FY25: 

  • Laser HELLFIRE to continue in Production  
  • Longbow HELLFIRE to continue Sustainment activities

Acquisition Lifecycle Phase

Production & Deployment

Foreign Military Sales

Laser HELLFIRE: Australia, Bahrain, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom
Direct Commercial Sales: Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and United Kingdom
Longbow HELLFIRE: India, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Morocco, Singapore, Taiwan, and United Arab Emirates
Direct Commercial Sales: United Kingdom 

Contractors

  • Lockheed Martin (Orlando, FL)