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In April 2013, the US DSCA forwarded Britain’s formal export request to replenish its Hellfire missile stocks, which had been drawn down by the fighting in Afghanistan and Libya.
Britain already uses Hellfire missiles on its WAH-64D Apache attack helicopters and MQ-9 Reaper UAVs. The exact missile types they picked for this request are interesting.
Britain’s Hellfire Choices
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The AGM-114N variant can be used by the British Army’s AH-64D Apache Longbow (“AH Mk.I”) helicopters. It packs a thermobaric “metal augmented charge” warhead that can suck the air out of a cave, collapse a building, or produce an astoundingly large blast radius out in the open. The AGM-114N4’s capabilities are unique, and wouldn’t be replaceable by any other Hellfire variant.
The AGM-114P variant is modified for use from high-flying UAVs like the RAF’s MQ-9 Reapers. UAVs can’t casually rotate in position, and the difference between temperature at launch altitude and top altitudes can be well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (~40+ degrees Celcius). To cope, the P model has wider environmental tolerances, and a 3-axis inertial measuring unit (IMU) for 360-degree targeting capability.
The newer tri-mode warhead AGM-114R missile would have offered Britain all of the AGM-11P4’s capabilities, in a missile that could be shifted between Reaper UAVs and their attack helicopters. Of course, any missile shifts would need to take place between Britain’s armed services, and the advantage of universality would be offset by the loss of thermobaric explosive capability.
Contracts & Key Events
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May 20/13: Order. The UK MoD announces a GBP 15 million (about $22.8 million) order for Hellfire missiles, but doesn’t specify numbers or types. It’s clearly a partial order, which means Britain still has room to buy more under the approved DSCA request. UK MoD.
April 17/13: Request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Britain’s official export request for 500 AGM-114-N4/P4 Hellfire missiles. The estimated cost is up to $95 million, but that will depend on contract negotiations. Lockheed Martin Corporation in Orlando, FL will be the prime contractor, and any sale won’t require any more government or contractor assistance.
The ratio split within Britain’s 500 missile request wasn’t clarified.
