Recently we saw that the Ministry of Defence ordered various equipment that includes a plethora of firepower for the Indian Navy, ranging from offshore patrol vessels to missile vessels and BrahMos missiles. The contracts, which are part of defence deals worth Rs 37,600 crore with local manufacturers, are also expected to boost Make in India. Along with it, Indian Navy will also buy Hellfire Missile which is a US-based manufactured missile that will be a significant boost to its missile arsenal. In this article, we will learn what are Hellfire missiles and their significance.
AGM-114 Hellfire
The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) that was originally designed for anti-armor use before being adapted for precision drone strikes against other target types, particularly high-value targets. It was initially developed under the name Heliborne laser, a fire-and-forget missile, which gave rise to the colloquial name “Hellfire,” which eventually became the missile’s formal name. It is capable of multi-mission, multi-target precision strikes and can be launched from a variety of air, sea, and ground platforms, including the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100-pound (45 kg) class air-to-ground precision weapon for the United States and many other nations’ armed forces. It has also been used on surface platforms for surface-to-surface and surface-to-air communications.
Specifications of Hellfire Missiles
The majority of variants are laser-guided, except the AGM-114L “Longbow Hellfire,” which is radar-guided. Laser guidance can be provided by the launcher, such as the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter’s nose-mounted optoelectronics, other airborne target designators, or ground-based observers, with the latter two options allowing the launcher to break the line of sight with the target and seek cover.
- Propulsion: Solid propellant rocket
- Length: 5.33 ft
- Diameter: 7 in
- Wingspan: 28 in
- Weight: 98 to 107 lbs
- Speed: Subsonic
Launch vehicles and systems
- Manned helicopters
- AH-64 Apache
- AH-6
- MH-6 Little Bird
- AH-1Z Viper
- Bell OH-58 Kiowa
- Tiger ARH
- MH-60R
- MH-60S
- Fixed-wing aircraft
- Beechcraft Super King Air
- Cessna AC-208 Combat Caravan
- KC-130J Harvest HAWK
- IOMAX Archangel
- AC-130W
- MQ-1 Predator
- MQ-1C Gray Eagle
- MQ-9 Reaper
How is it so Powerful?
Well, its lethality is due to 45 kg (100 lb) of dense material with six blades flying at high speed to crush and cut the targeted person—the Missile has also been dubbed the “Ninja Missile” and the “Flying Ginsu.”
Recent Use of the Hellfire Missiles
On July 31, 2022, Hellfire missiles fired by a Reaper drone were used to kill Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of Al-Qaeda who had previously been involved in planning the 9/11 attacks and other attacks on US targets. According to reports, the missile struck him on a balcony, causing only minor collateral damage. According to reports, avoiding other casualties was a priority for the mission, following drone attacks that killed several uninvolved people, resulting in widespread condemnation. The Hellfires were widely assumed to be the R9X variant, but a US Special Operations Command spokesman declined to comment while confirming that the R9X was “in US Special Operations Command’s munitions inventory.”
Significance of Hellfire Missiles for Indian Navy
The plan to introduce Hellfire missile missiles, which are precision-guided weapons, comes after American forces used them against high-value targets. The MK 54 lightweight torpedoes, which are used by US surface ships, fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters as their primary anti-submarine warfare weapon, are another major weapon.
It has already been incorporated into the Indian Navy’s P-8I anti-submarine warfare and surveillance planes. In a government-to-government agreement, India and the United States agreed to buy 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters from Lockheed Martin in 2020 under fast-track procedures. The 24 MH-60 Romeos would be outfitted with multimode radars, night vision equipment, and missiles, torpedoes, and other precision-guided weaponry. The MH-60s will replace the Sea King helicopters, which will be phased out of service very soon.
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Also read:
- Indian Navy To Get Hellfire Missile As Part Of $300 Million Deal
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