Munitions / Air to surface missiles / AGM-114 Hellfire

AGM-114 Hellfire

General Facts

  • TYPE
    Air to ground missile

  • ORIGIN
    United States

  • NICKNAMES
    RBS-17 (Swedish service)

  • DESIGNED
    1974 - 1981

  • DESIGNER
    Rockwell & Martin Marietta

  • PRODUCTION
    1982 - present

  • PRODUCERS
    United States - Lockheed Martin

  • QUANTITY
    Over 60.000 missiles produced.

  • UNIT COST
    $ 25.000 for AGM-114B
    $ 65.000 for AGM-114K

  • CHARACTERISTICS
    Powerful warhead
    Long effective range
    Good accuracy
    Limited size and weight

Introduction

The AGM-114 Hellfire is an anti-tank missile of US origin. It was developed by Lockheed Martin in the late 1970’s to replace the TOW as the primary helicopter launched anti-tank missile. The name Hellfire stands for HELicopter Launched FIRE-and-forget. Compared to the TOW the Hellfire has a longer range, a higher velocity, a much more powerful warhead and better accuracy.

Design

The Hellfire is a relatively short and thick missile with four small fixed wings at the front and four longer fixed wings with small control vanes at the rear. The layout is conventional with the guidance section at the front, the warhead in the middle and the solid fuel rocket motor at the rear. Except for the millimeter wave seeker on the AGM-114L all Hellfire are semi-active laser guided.

Firepower

The Hellfire is a very capable anti-tank missile that will destroy any armored target. Penetration is believed to be around 1.000 mm RHA for the AGM-114K with tandem shaped HEAT warhead. A variety of warheads for use against soft targets have been developed as well. The 7 to 9 km range provides a standoff range against most anti-aircraft guns and MANPADS. Accuracy has proven to be very good.

Platform

The Hellfire was originally intended to be launched from helicopters such as the AH-64 Apache, AH-1 Super Cobra, A-129 Mangusta, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, RAH-66 Commanche and various others. Fixed wing platforms include the Cessna 208, Super King Air, KC-130 and various drones such as the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. Other applications include a single rail tripod mounted coastal defense system and the Combat Boat 90 assault craft.

Users

The main user of the Hellfire is the US military and many Hellfires have been effectively used in a variety of conflicts since the 1980’s. The Hellfire has been exported to various Western nations and other nations with close ties to the USA.

Variants

Hellfire anti-tank missile

AGM-114A Basic Hellfire: Original Hellfire with HEAT warhead, semi-active laser homing and rocket motor that produced a smoke trail.
AGM-114B/C Basic Hellfire: The AGM-14 C is an AGM-114A with low smoke motor. The AGM-114B add a safe and arming device for naval use.
AGM-114F Interim Hellfire: An AGM-114C with heavier tandem HEAT warhead and reduced effective range of 7 km. Entered production in 1991.
RBS-17: Swedish coastal defense version of AGM-114A. Has a blast fragmentation warhead.

TypeAnti-tank missile
Diameter0.178 m body, 0.33 m wingspan
Length1.63 m
Weight45.7 kg
GuidanceSemi-active laser guidance
Warhead8 kg HEAT warhead, impact fuze
PropulsionSingle-stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range1.5 km minimum, 8 km maximum
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks-
TypeAnti-tank missile
Diameter0.178 m body, 0.33 m wingspan
Length1.8 m
Weight48.6 kg
GuidanceSemi-active laser guidance
WarheadTandem HEAT warhead, impact fuze
PropulsionSingle-stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range1.5 km minimum, 8 km maximum
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks-

Hellfire II anti-tank missile

AGM-114K Hellfire II: Lighter AGM-114F with shorter airframe, 8 km range and electronic safe and arming device. Uses the AGM-114F tandem HEAT warhead for use against armored targets.
AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire: AGM-114K with millimeter wave radar seeker for use with the AH-64D Apache Longbow millimeter wave radar. Produced since 1997.
AGM-114P Hellfire II: AGM-114K optimized for use from drones flying at high altitude.
AGM-114S Hellfire II: Practice version of AGM-114K with spotting charge instead of a warhead.

TypeAnti-tank missile
Diameter0.178 m body, 0.33 m wingspan
Length1.63 m
Weight45.7 kg
GuidanceSemi-active laser guidance
WarheadHEAT warhead, impact fuze
PropulsionSingle-stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range0.5 km minimum, 9 km maximum
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks-
TypeAnti-tank missile
Diameter0.178 m body, 0.33 m wingspan
Length1.78 m
Weight50 kg
GuidanceInertial and MMW radar guidance
WarheadTandem HEAT warhead, impact fuze
PropulsionSingle-stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range0.5 km minimum, 9 km maximum
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks-

Hellfire II soft target missile

AGM-114M Hellfire II: AGM-114K with incendiary blast fragmentation warhead for use against bunkers, light vehicles and fortified positions. Used in the year 2000.
AGM-114N Hellfire II: AGM-114K with metal augmented charge (thermobaric) warhead for use against buildings and air defense units.
AGM-114Q Hellfire II: Practice version of AGM-114N with inert warhead.
AGM-114R Hellfire II: AGM-114P with integrated blast frag sleeve warhead for use against armored vehicles, bunkers, light vehicles and fortified positions.

TypeAnti-tank missile
Diameter0.178 m body, 0.33 m wingspan
Length1.63 m
Weight48 kg
GuidanceSemi-active laser guidance
Warhead12.5 kg HE-frag warhead
PropulsionSingle-stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range0.5 km minimum, 9 km maximum
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks-
TypeAnti-tank missile
Diameter0.178 m body, 0.33 m wingspan
Length1.63 m
Weight48 kg
GuidanceSemi-active laser guidance
WarheadThermobaric warhead
PropulsionSingle-stage solid propellant rocket motor
Speed?
Range0.5 km minimum, 9 km maximum
Altitude-
Engagement envelope-
Remarks-

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