AGM-114 Hellfire, US Air to Surface Missile

The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-surface missile, developed primarily for anti-armor use. It can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms. It has multi-mission, and multi-target precision-strike capability. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100 lb-class air-to-ground precision weapon for the armed forces of the United States and many other nations. The HELLFIRE name comes from its original intention as a helicopter-launched fire-and-forget weapon (HELicopter Launched FIRE-and-forget).

The AGM-114 Hellfire is a combat-proven tactical missile system. The missile has been in combat use since the mid-1980s.

AGM-114 Hellfire
Type	Air-to-surface and surface-to-surface missile
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin
Specifications
Weight	100–108lb (45.4–49kg)
Length	64 in (163 cm)
Diameter	7 in (17.8 cm)
Warhead	High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT); 20 lb (9 kg) tandem anti-armor Metal augmented charge (MAC); 18 lb (8 kg) shaped-charge Blast Fragmentation
Engine	Solid-fuel rocket
Wingspan	13 in (33 cm)
Operational range	546 yd – 5 mi (500 m – 8 km)
Speed	Mach 1.3 (950 mph; 425 m/s)
Guidance system	Semi-active laser homing millimeter wave radar seeker
Launch platform	Rotary- and fixed-wing platforms, Unmanned combat air vehicles, tripods, ships, and ground vehicles

Variants

AGM-114A Basic Hellfire

• Target: Tanks, armored vehicles.
• Range: 8,000 m (8,750 yd)
• Guidance: Semi-active laser homing (SALH).
• Warhead: 8 kg (18 lb) shaped charge HEAT.
• Length: 163 cm (64 in)
• Weight: 45 kg (99 lb)

AGM-114B/C Basic Hellfire

• M120E1 low smoke motor.
• AGM-114B has electronic SAD (Safe/Arming Device) for safe shipboard use.
• Unit cost: $25,000

AGM-114D/E Basic Hellfire

• Proposed upgrade of AGM-114B/C with digital autopilot—not built.

AGM-114F Interim Hellfire

• Target: Tanks, armored vehicles.
• Range: 7,000 m (7,650 yd)
• Guidance: Semi-active laser homing.
• Warhead: 9 kg (20 lb) tandem shaped charge HEAT.
• Length: 180 cm (71 in)
• Weight: 48.5 kg (107 lb)

AGM-114G Interim Hellfire

• Proposed version of AGM-114F with SAD—not built.

AGM-114H Interim Hellfire

• Proposed upgrade of AGM-114F with digital autopilot—not built.

AGM-114J Hellfire II

• Proposed version of AGM-114F with lighter components, shorter airframe, and increased range—not built.

AGM-114K Hellfire II

• Target: All armored threats
• Range: 8,000 m (8,749 yd)
• Guidance:
  • Semi-active laser homing with Electro-optical countermeasures hardening
  • Digital autopilot improvements allow target reacquisition after lost laser lock
• New electronic SAD
• Warhead: 9 kg (20 lb) tandem shaped charge HEAT
• Length: 163 cm (64 in)
• Weight: 45.4 kg (100 lb)
• Unit cost: $65,000
• Essentially the proposed AGM-114J w/ SAD

AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire

• Target: All armored threats
• Range: 8,000 m (8,749 yd)
• Guidance:
  • Fire and forget Millimeter wave radar seeker coupled with Inertial guidance
  • Homing capability in adverse weather and the presence of battlefield obscurants
• Warhead: 9 kg (20 lb) tandem shaped charge high explosive anti-tank (HEAT)
• Length: 176 cm (69.2 in)
• Weight: 49 kg (108 lb)

AGM-114M Hellfire II

• Target: Bunkers, light vehicles, urban (soft) targets and caves
• Range: 8,000 m (8,749 yd)
• Guidance:
  • Semi-active laser homing
• Warhead: Blast fragmentation/incendiary
• Weight: 48.2 kg (106 lb)
• Length: 163 cm (64 in)

AGM-114N Hellfire II

• Target: Enclosures, ships, urban targets, air defense units
• Range: 8,000 m (8,749 yd)
• Guidance:
  • Semi-active laser homing
• Warhead: Metal augmented charge (MAC) (Thermobaric)
• Weight: 48 kg (105 lb)
• Length: 163 cm (64 in)

AGM-114P Hellfire II

• Version of AGM-114K optimized for use from UCAVs flying at high altitude.

AGM-114Q Hellfire II

• Practice version of AGM-114N with inert warhead.

AGM-114R Hellfire II

• Version optimized for use from UCAVs (increased engagement envelope)
• Target: Bunkers, light vehicles, urban (soft) targets and caves
• Range: 8,000 m (8,749 yd)
• Guidance:
  • Semi-active laser homing
• Warhead: Integrated Blast Frag Sleeve (IBFS) (combine blast fragmentation and fragment dispersion).
• Weight: 50 kg (110 lb)
• Speed : Mach 1.3

AGM-114S Hellfire II

• Practice version of AGM-114K with a spotting charge instead of a warhead.