What is Hellfire Missile?

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 antitank 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:
  • 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.

o 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.

Q1: What is the MQ-9B Predator?

It is a high-altitude, long-endurance armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It is a variant of the MQ-9 "Reaper" developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), with its primary purpose being for the United States Air Force (USAF). The United States uses these drones for surveillance, intelligence gathering, and airstrikes.

Source: India, U.S. conclude $3.5-billion deal for procurement of 31 MQ-9B armed UAVs