The boeing Awe 64 apache is an american
twin turboshaft attack helicopter with a
tailwheel type landing gear arrangement
and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose mounted sensor suite
for target acquisition and night vision
systems it is armed with a 30 millimeters m230
chain gun carried between the main
landing gear under the aircraft's
forward fuselage and four hardpoints
mounted on stub wing pylons for carrying
armament and stores. Typically a mixture
of AGM-114
hellfire missiles and hydra 70 rocket
pods. The AH-64 has significant systems
redundancy to improve combat
survivability.
The AH-64 apache helicopter also used by
the indian military and the MH-60 Blackhawk are armed with these missiles. Lockheed Martin missiles and fire
control of Orlando Florida was awarded a
660 million dollars modification
contract for hellfire 2 missile
production. The missiles would be produced at
lockheed martin facilities in Orlando Florida and the process would be
completed by september 30th 2024. This will further replenish the us
army's lethal capabilities.
This hellfire ii missile is an upgrade
from its predecessors and is speculated
to be the AGM-114R variant. No official designation is mentioned in
the contract. Weighing 49 kilograms it
uses a semi-active laser homing with a
range of about 8 kilometers. It has a multi-function warhead and a
reduced net explosive weight for low
collateral damage.
This new lot will be for the us army and
not for the foreign military sales. Its most recent customers including the
logistics or the republic of Korea, Kuwait, Australia directly or indirectly
with the purchase of platforms like MQ-9B reapers and R-64 gunships.
According to the defense security
cooperation agency
the u.s army uses these missiles not
only on its apache gunships but also in
its MH-60l direct action penetrator
special forces modified helicopter
operated by army's 160th special
operations aviation regiment.
The dap is configured as a gunship with
no troop carrying capacity equipped with
s or ets stub wings. Each capable of
carrying configurations of the M230
chain gun 30 millimeters automatic
cannon, 19 shot hydra 70 rocket Pod, a GM 114 hellfire missiles, Aim 92 stinger
air-to-air missiles, Gau-19 gun pods an M134 minigun pods and M134D minigames
are used as door guns.
The indian apaches half of them longbow
versions come armed with a GM 114
hellfire air to surface anti-tank
missiles, Aim 92 stinger air-to-air
missiles and 2.75 rockets. It can carry a maximum of 16 hellfire
missiles.
The AGM-114 hellfire missiles have an
impressive combat record since their
induction in 1984. The hellfire has been twice used as an
air-to-air missile when an israeli air
force A-64 apache fired at a
non-responding Cessna 152 aircraft that
entered into israeli airspace from Lebanon. The missile is in active service with
over 25 countries and can be launched by
various fixed wing and rotary wing
aircraft. It has been tested even on ground-based
launchers and used by the israeli navy
on super devorah MKE class patrol boats.
