Hellfire builds success record in Iraq

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin said Tuesday its Hellfire missile has logged new records of success in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"All three missile configurations (of the Hellfire air-to-ground missile) as well as the fire-and-forget, adverse-weather-capable millimeter-wave radar Longbow Hellfire -- AGM-114L -- have been used successfully by U.S. and (British) forces in Iraq and Afghanistan," Lockheed Martin said in a statement.

"More than 6,800 rounds have been fired from several platforms, including the U.S. Army's Apache and the Marine Corps' Cobra attack helicopters, the Kiowa scout helicopter, the U.S. Air Force's Predator and Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles and the (British) Army Air Corps' Apache aircraft," the company said.

"Of particular importance is Hellfire's precision-strike capability," said Ken Musculus, program director, Air-to-Ground Missile Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This has allowed our forces to defeat insurgents in urban conflicts with minimal collateral damage and low risk of harm to friendly forces and civilians."

"With more than 21,000 rounds produced for the U.S. and 13 international customers, Hellfire II has been successfully integrated with every leading attack helicopter in the U.S. and many Allied fleets. It is also capable of surface launch from several ground vehicles, tripods and small vessels," Lockheed Martin said.

"Hellfire II is approved for international sales both through the foreign military sales system and direct commercial sales," it said

"The Hellfire II production contract includes three variants: the high-explosive anti-tank missile -- AGM-114K -- used against armored targets; the blast fragmentation missile -- AGM-114M -- effective against ships, caves, light armored vehicles, buildings, bunkers and other urban targets; and the metal augmented charge missile -- AGM-114N -- which provides an enhanced blast fragmentation effect against enclosed structures and enemy combatants," the company said.

"Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services," the company said.