AGM-114 Hellfire missiles at FJB. Known and new
AH-64D helicopter with an AGM-114 missile with uncharacteristic coloring and equipment
One of the main weapons of the army aviation Israeli armed forces is the American-made AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground guided missile. There are several modifications of this product in service with their own characteristics and capabilities, used to solve different problems. Recently it became known about the presence and use of another version of Hellfire, but details are not yet available.
Mysterious photo
The IDF is conducting another operation in the Gaza Strip and is constantly publishing new photo and video materials about the combat work of the units. On November 5, an interesting photograph of an AH-64D Apache / Saraf attack helicopter taking off appeared on the army’s social media pages. One of the details of this photo attracted the attention of specialists and military enthusiasts.
The helicopter shown was sent on a combat mission with guided missile weapons under the wing. Under the right plane that came into frame, four AGM-114 air-to-surface missiles were clearly visible, although only the outer two were best visible. The product on the upper guide beam had a traditional olive color and three yellow stripes. Below it was a rocket with a gray body and a red stripe.
Photo of another helicopter, which replaced the first photo
Previously, the IDF and other structures had never shown a Hellfire missile with a similar color scheme and markings. Therefore, the photograph from the Israeli Ministry of Defense attracted attention and became the reason for various discussions and assessments. In specialized blogs and publications they are trying to determine what kind of product the Israeli “Saraf” carried and what problems it was supposed to solve with its help.
The press service of the Israeli army noticed the unhealthy excitement around the most ordinary photograph and took action. Soon the photo with the unusual missile was removed and replaced with another photo of an AH-64D with AGM-114 products. However, this time it’s not the most ordinary thing that got into the frame. weapon. In the new photo, the rocket was marked with two rings instead of the standard three.
Thus, the IDF accidentally or deliberately allowed the publication of a photograph of an attack helicopter with an unusual composition of suspended weapons. They did not explain this picture, and then deleted it altogether, which can say a lot, incl. about the secrecy of the new rocket and the impossibility of its public display. However, we cannot rule out the deliberate publication of the photograph with the aim of demonstrating new weapons, hints at expanding combat capabilities, misleading the enemy, etc.
Labeling issues
AGM-114 Hellfire aircraft missiles are produced only in the USA through the joint efforts of several companies. Finished products in assembled form are sent to one or another customer, including the IDF. The missile leaves the manufacturing plant with the necessary markings - with a set of inscriptions on the body, as well as with graphic elements for quick identification. All markings are carried out according to US and NATO standards.
IDF technical staff prepares missiles for combat flight
The missile bodies are painted in the standard protective color Olive drab. They are also marked with ring stripes of different colors, indicating equipment and equipment. A warhead with a high-explosive fragmentation or shaped charge (high-explosive) is indicated by a yellow ring stripe.
Red and similar colors are also used in American markings. Thus, a light red stripe indicates incendiary ammunition. The dark red stripe is for riot control ammunition, while the purple stripe is for non-lethal irritant ammunition.
According to known data, the AGM-114 family of missiles does not contain products with non-lethal warheads, and their appearance would, at a minimum, raise questions. Moreover, the IDF does not need such weapons. When solving combat missions, she is not inclined to humanism towards the enemy and is ready to put up with the notorious collateral damage.
It cannot be ruled out that the color scheme of the recently spotted missile is not American. Despite the use of NATO standards in general, Israel may have and apply its own ammunition markings. Whether such a system exists and how Hellfires of various modifications are designated in it is unknown. In addition, this version does not explain at what stage imported missiles receive a new color.
Launch of the AGM-114 product
Wide choose
The AGM-114 Hellfire guided missile was developed in the USA and entered service in the early eighties. Subsequently, the original design was constantly developed to obtain certain results. By now we can talk about a whole family of weapons, which includes a dozen main modifications of the missile and several intermediate versions.
All AGM-114 variants have a similar architecture, as well as similar flight performance and operational characteristics. Modernization was carried out mainly through the replacement of guidance means and the replacement / improvement of the warhead. In addition, the use of a new line of solid propellant engines at a certain stage made it possible to increase the flight range from the original 8 km to 11.
The first versions of the missile - AGM-114A/B/C - carried a monoblock cumulative warhead weighing 8 kg. This charge had high penetration, but could only cope with a target without dynamic protection. In the project with the letter “F” in the early nineties, a tandem cumulative warhead with a total mass of 8 kg was first introduced. Soon the AGM-114K missile appeared with a tandem warhead increased to 9 kg. On its basis, they produced the “K2” product with a charge resistant to external influences and the “K2A” with a cumulative warhead, supplemented with a crushing casing. A similar warhead was used on the AGM-114L modification.
To combat unprotected equipment, various buildings, etc., the AGM-114M Hellfire II missile was developed in the late nineties. It received a high-explosive fragmentation incendiary warhead with a mass based on previous samples. At the beginning of the 114s, the AGM-XNUMXN product with a thermobaric charge entered service. At the same time, they developed a project with the letter “P”, which made it possible to choose a cumulative or fragmentation warhead.
At the beginning of the tenth, production of AGM-114R missiles with a multi-purpose warhead, combining the functions of anti-tank and high-explosive fragmentation ammunition, began. At the same time, due to the special design of the warhead, it was allegedly possible to reduce collateral damage.
The modification AGM-114R9X is of great interest. Instead of a traditional warhead, this missile received a set of six retractable blades. It is intended to attack “soft” targets. The defeat occurs due to kinetic energy and a direct hit, and retractable elements increase the area of impact on the target.
Special needs
The IDF has long adopted and is using American AGM-114 guided missiles, and this is well known. However, the exact and complete list of modifications of such weapons available to the Israeli army aviation remains unknown. Available data allow us to at least partially determine it. However, new questions now arise that remain unanswered.
Missiles with shaped charge warheads are widely used - and are included in the frame - but it will not be possible to identify specific modifications. These can be any products from version “A” to versions “L” or “M”. With their help, various buildings or equipment are affected. At the same time, the full potential of shaped charges is not used due to the enemy’s lack of armored vehicles.
AGM-114 Hellfire cutaway
A recent photo showed a missile possibly equipped with an incendiary warhead. In general, the IDF may be interested in obtaining and using ammunition of this kind. Incendiary or thermobaric charges can be an effective means of combating enemy fortifications, positions in urban areas, etc.
With all this, it is unclear why they are trying to classify the presence of such ammunition. So far, only one photograph of a helicopter with such weapons has become publicly available, but they hastened to replace it with another photograph.
Secret ammunition
Thus, the army aviation of the Israeli armed forces has a fairly wide range of different weapons to solve certain problems. It is curious that not all available samples are in a hurry to be shown to the public due to secrecy and reluctance to reveal their capabilities ahead of time.
However, it will not be possible to keep such secrets for long, and the enemy and the public will find out about them. Moreover, this time an unknown version of a serial missile was shown for the first time not by third-party sources, but by the press service of the Israeli military department. It cannot be ruled out that this was not a mistake, but a deliberate step. But its goals and objectives are still unknown.
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