Apache with Hellfire missiles © 2013 Lockheed Martin Corporation UK Ministry of Defense...
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| Apache with Hellfire missiles © 2013 Lockheed Martin Corporation |
UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) has signed a £15 million ($22.8) contract with Lockheed Martin to replenish the British Army's stock of supersonic Hellfire air–to–ground precision missiles used by Apache helicopters.
The 100-pound (45kg) Hellfire is the primary weapon of Apache attack helicopter.
The missile is extensively used by British forces in Afghanistan, and also proved itself repeatedly during the Libya campaign when Apaches flew from the deck of HMS Ocean against Colonel Gaddafi’s forces.
Each Apache can carry up to 16 Hellfires, which are mounted in sets of 4 beneath the helicopter’s stub-wing pylons.
Each missile has its own guidance computer, steering control and propulsion systems, which help to ensure precision targeting.
The air-to-surface missile can reach a speed of 425 metres per second; which means it takes fewer than 20 seconds to reach a target 5 miles away.
The combat proven hellfire tactical missile system can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms, offering multi–mission, multi-target capability and precision–strike lethality.
Designed to hunt and destroy tanks, the fearsome Apache helicopter is capable of flying at 205mph and boasts a mix of weapons including a wing-mounted aerial rocket, Hellfire laser-guided missiles and a 30mm chain gun.
The aircraft is operated with two crew members - a pilot and co-pilot gunner who usually operates the weapon systems.
Seen as the attack aircraft of choice in Afghanistan, it is heralded as one of the most important weapons systems to enter service with the Army since the tank in 1916, and is said to have significantly increased the force's operational capability.
It can fly in all weathers from Arctic cold to desert heat, operate day or night, and detect, classify and prioritise up to 256 potential targets in seconds.
The Apache is powered by two Rolls-Royce engines with built-in particle separators for desert operations.
The first British Apaches, built by AgustaWestland based in Yeovil, Somerset,came into service with the Army Air Corps (AAC) in 2001 and went on to be widely used in Afghanistan.
UK forces in Helmand Province have employed the aircraft to hunt and kill Taliban fighters, gather intelligence and provide cover for larger Chinook helicopters transporting troops and vital supplies.
It uses night vision systems and CCD TV target trackers and is also fitted with high-tech radar and thermal imaging equipment that allows the crew of two to pinpoint targets with great accuracy even if they are hidden behind foliage.
