AGM-114 Hellfire and Longbow Hellfire (United States), Air-to-surface missiles - Direct attack

Type
Laser or radar-guided battlefield missile.

Development
The AGM-114 Hellfire (an acronym for Heliborne, Laser, Fire and Forget) modular missile system was designed in the 1970s as an anti-armour and precision attack weapon that would be effective against tanks, bunkers and structures. The requirement included the attack of both stationary and moving vehicle targets. Studies relating to the Hellfire began around 1970 and exploratory development began in 1971. Advanced development of the missile continued through 1976 when the US Army awarded an engineering contract to Rockwell International (now Boeing). Initially the Hellfire missile was to have used a tri-service laser seeker, but following a competitive selection process a Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) seeker was selected.The first guided launch of a AGM-114A Hellfire missile took place from an AH-1G Cobra helicopter in late 1978 and, in 1979, several ballistic and guided firings took place from AH-64 Apache helicopters. Operational testing by the US Army was completed in 1980, and in 1981, Hellfire was declared ready for production. The first operational rounds were delivered in late 1984 and the Hellfire missile system entered service in 1985. An AGM-114B version was developed for the US Marine Corps, with a low-smoke motor and a safety arming device for shipboard operations. The next missile in the family, AGM-114C, was a US Army version of the AGM-114B without the safety arming device.Soon after the missile was introduced into service, it attracted the attention of the Swedish Coastal Artillery Force, which was seeking a short-range, anti-ship missile specifically for use against landing

The complete article appears in the following publication:
Publication Title	Jane's Air-Launched Weapons
Publication date	Mar 19, 2012
Section	Air-to-surface missiles - Direct attack
Publication synopsis	The only accessible and constantly updated guide to the world's inventories of airborne weapons. Covering well over 600 systems, in service or in development, it provides a detailed and comprehensive reference to: capabilities/technology; functionality/effectiveness; user base; combat record; upgrades, variants and future enhancements. The guide includes extensive analysis tables covering all weapon types, national inventories and aircraft weapon loads and documents the world's air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, bombs, rockets, guns and underwater weapons, including new and emerging weapons.
Key contents include	Detailed review of worldwide events in the air-launched world. New systems, weapons tests/trials, combat details, contracts and deliveries, industrial moves and more Air-to-air missiles within and beyond visual range Air-to-surface missiles & direct attack, anti-ship, stand off and cruise missiles Bombs & precision and guided munitions, cluster and dispenser munitions, nuclear weapons, conventional unguided bombs Guns - integrated and mounted, podded systems Air-launched rockets Underwater weapons - mines/depth charges, torpedoes Analysis tables Contractors listings
Different sections provide in-depth detail covering	Air-Launched Rockets Air-To-Air Missiles - Beyond Visual Range Air-To-Air Missiles - Within Visual Range Air-To-Surface Missiles - Anti-Ship Air-To-Surface Missiles - Direct Attack Air-To-Surface Missiles - Stand-Off And Cruise Analysis Analysis - Air-To-Air Missiles Analysis - Air-To-Surface Missiles Analysis - Automatic Grenade Launchers Analysis - Bombs Analysis - Country Inventories - In Development Analysis - Country Inventories - In Service Analysis - Gun Pods And Mountings Analysis - Guns Analysis - In-Service Combat Aircraft And Their Air-Launched Weapons Capabilities Analysis - Mines And Depth Charges Analysis - Rocket Launchers Analysis - Rockets Analysis - Torpedoes Analysis - Worldwide In-Service Combat Aircraft Bombs - Cluster And Dispenser Munitions Bombs - Precision And Guided Munitions Bombs - Unguided Contractors Glossary Guns - Integral And Mounted Guns - Podded Systems Underwater Weapons - Mines And Depth Charges Underwater Weapons - Torpedoes Underwater Weapons - Unclassified Projects

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