Hellfire Missile

17.10.2024

Hellfire Missile

Why in the news?

India recently concluded a deal with the US for the procurement of 170 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles.

About Hellfire Missile:

• The AGM-114 Hellfire missile is one of the most popular short-range air-to-ground (sometimes air-to-air) laser-guided, subsonic tactical missiles used by the United States military as well as 30 US allies.
• The United States began developing the AGM-114 Hellfire in 1972 to address the Army’s requirement for a helicopter-launched anti tank missile to counter Soviet armor formations.
• The missile is used to target armored vehicles, including tanks, bunkers, radar systems and antennas, communications equipment, soft targets, or hovering helicopters.
• It is the missile of choice for several kinds of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), such as the MQ-1B Predator, MQ-9 Reaper, and MQ-1C Grey Eagle.

Features of Hellfire Missile:

• It has a length of 1.62 m, a diameter of 17.7 cm and a wingspan of 0.71 m.
• Each Hellfire weighs 45.4 kg-49 kg including an 8 kg-9 kg multipurpose warhead.
• It is propelled by a single-stage solid-propellant solid-fuel rocket motor.
• The missile has a maximum velocity of 950 mph.
• Range: 7-11 km
• The AGM-114R multipurpose missile is the latest in the Hellfire II missile range.
• Also known as the Hellfire Romeo, the missile integrates the capabilities of all previous Hellfire II variants.
• It can be launched from several different kinds of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, surface ships, and military ground vehicles.
• It uses a semi-active laser guidance system and an integrated blast fragmentation sleeve warhead to engage targets that previously needed several Hellfire variants to destroy.

                                                                            Source: The Hindu

Hellfire Missiles, recently seen in the news, are developed by which one of the following countries?

A.Russia

B.United States of America

C.United Kingdom

D.Iran

Answer B