- Side
- Coalition forces
In the 1990 Gulf War, U.S. Army AH-64 Apaches opened Operation Desert Storm by firing HELLFIRE missiles and Hydra rockets at Iraqi early-warning radar sites on January 17, 1991.
Role detailsMunitions
AGM-114 Hellfire missile family
Also known as
- AGM-114
- Hellfire
- Hellfire II
- AGM-114 Hellfire
- AGM-114L
- Longbow Hellfire
- AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire
- Hellfire Longbow
- AGM-114R
- AGM-114R9X
- AGM-114R-9X
- Hellfire R9X
- R9X
- Ninja missile
- Ninja bomb
- Flying Ginsu
The AGM-114 Hellfire is a U.S. precision missile family developed for helicopter anti-armor missions and later adapted across UAVs, gunships, ships, and special-purpose strike roles. Cataloged combat use spans Desert Storm Apache strikes, Operation Iraqi Freedom aviation engagements, counter-ISIS and counterterrorism drone operations, Israeli helicopter fire in 2023, Ukrainian counter-drone Tempest vehicles assessed with AGM-114L Longbow missiles, and the secretive AGM-114R9X kinetic variant reported in low-collateral targeted strikes.
Role in Conflicts
- Side
- United States
In the 2020 United States-Iran Conflict, ABC reported that Soleimani was killed by a Hellfire laser-guided missile fired from a drone during the January 3, 2020 U.S. strike.
- Side
- Israel
In the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, Hellfire missiles were fired by Israeli attack helicopters on October 7, 2023, during the response to Hamas's attack in southern Israel.
Role details
In the 2011 Syrian Civil War, AP reported a U.S. drone strike in Raqqa that used a Hellfire missile against a target believed to be Jihadi John; TWZ later documented AGM-114R9X remnants and visible R9X markings from separate U.S.-linked targeted strikes against al-Qaeda-linked figures in northwestern Syria.
Role details- Side
- United States
In the 2014 Yemen Civil War theater, AP reported that a January 30, 2023 suspected U.S. drone strike near Marib appeared to have used a Hellfire R9X against suspected AQAP members; the side reflects the anti-AQAP strike context in government-controlled Marib, not a Houthi front-line engagement.
Role detailsIn 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve, a June 23, 2017 Block 5 MQ-9 sortie flew with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and employed two Hellfires while providing armed reconnaissance for supported ground forces.
Role details- Side
- United States and Libyan Government of National Accord
In the 2016 U.S. Campaign Against ISIS in Libya, Marine AH-1W Super Cobra detachments fielded and employed AGM-114 Hellfire missiles during Operation Odyssey Lightning strikes supporting GNA-aligned forces against ISIS in Sirte.
In the 2001 War in Afghanistan, U.S. Army AH-64E Apache crews loaded AGM-114 Hellfires in Kunduz in 2017; TWZ separately reported a January 2020 Kunduz strike as the AGM-114R9X's first known operational use in Afghanistan against a Taliban commander.
Role details
In the post-2006 al-Shabaab phase of the 1991 Somali Civil War, the Pentagon said U.S. aircraft struck an al-Shabab vehicle near Saakow with several Hellfire missiles on December 29, 2014.
In the 2003 Iraq War, U.S. Army aviation units used Hellfire missiles from Apache helicopters in Operation Iraqi Freedom, including 25th Combat Aviation Brigade engagements during its 2006-2008 OIF deployment.
Role details- Side
- Ukraine
In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, Ukraine fielded V2X Tempest mobile counter-UAS vehicles firing Hellfire-class missiles against Shahed drones; Business Insider said the Ukrainian video did not name the missile type, while TWZ identified the armament as AGM-114 Hellfire and assessed it as the AGM-114L Longbow variant.
Role detailsFamily Split
Redstone's history page breaks the family into a laser-guided HELLFIRE line, the optimized HELLFIRE II laser family, and the radar-aided Longbow HELLFIRE branch. It also notes ground-vehicle testbeds and Swedish coastal-defense studies.
| Branch | Guidance | Documented context |
|---|---|---|
| Laser HELLFIRE / HELLFIRE II | Laser guidance | The original family and its optimized laser variant were built to defeat tanks and other individual targets at standoff range. |
| Longbow HELLFIRE | Radar-aided inertial guidance | Redstone describes it as an air-launched missile that uses millimeter-wave radar technology. |
| Ground-launch testing | HMMWV / ITV testbeds | The same page says the system was tested on HMMWV and ITV platforms and studied for Swedish coastal defense. |
R9X Kinetic Variant
Open-source munition researchers treat the AGM-114R9X as a secretive Hellfire-family branch built around kinetic impact rather than a conventional explosive warhead. The public record is still limited: official U.S. material rarely names the weapon, so this page uses R9X claims only where specialist munition references, visible markings, or conflict-specific reporting support them.
Common names
AGM-114R9X, AGM-114R-9X, Hellfire R9X, Ninja missile, and Flying Ginsu.
Payload concept
OSMP and Bellingcat describe a roughly 49 kg air-to-surface missile with a non-explosive kinetic effect and six deployable blades.
Identification limits
Bellingcat treats clean blade slices and reduced blast damage as strong R9X indicators, but notes that light vehicle damage alone is not definitive.
Longbow Counter-UAS Shift
The AGM-114L Longbow branch gives the Hellfire family a radar-guided path that public sources now connect to shipboard surface warfare and mobile counter-drone roles. U.S. Navy reporting documents Longbow Hellfire launches from LCS surface-to-surface modules, while Ukraine reporting describes Tempest vehicles using Hellfire-class missiles against Shahed drones with the exact missile type identified by specialist assessment rather than by the original Ukrainian video.
Guidance branch
Redstone identifies Longbow HELLFIRE as the radar-aided, millimeter-wave branch of the family.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information; TWZ Hellfire-Armed Drone-Killing Buggy.
Shipboard module
U.S. Navy reporting describes AGM-114L launches from Littoral Combat Ship Surface-to-Surface Missile Modules, including USS Milwaukee and USS Montgomery tests.
Sources: USS Milwaukee fires missiles, kicks off LCS missile module developmental testing; Littoral combat ship completes first land attack missile exercise.
Ukraine limit
Business Insider reported that the Ukrainian Air Command video did not specifically identify the missile type; this record therefore attributes AGM-114L use in Ukraine to TWZ's specialist identification.
Sources: Business Insider Tempest Hellfire Ukraine; TWZ Hellfire-Armed Drone-Killing Buggy.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- United States
- Built by
- Lockheed Martin
- Type
- Air-to-surface missile family
- Service note
- 1970s-present
- Designed
- Early 1970s-1976
- Unit cost
- About $141,516 per missile in FY 2024 Army procurement estimates.
- Produced
- 1982-present
Specifications
- Range
- AGM-114R: 8.0 km LOAL high trajectory / 7.1 km LOAL low-direct trajectory from 3,000 ft altitude; AGM-114L Longbow reporting commonly places the range near 5 miles / 8 km
- Guidance
- HELLFIRE II / AGM-114R: semi-active laser; Longbow HELLFIRE: radar-aided inertial millimeter-wave branch
- Weight
- AGM-114R: 109 lb (49.4 kg)
- Length
- AGM-114R: 64 in (163 cm)
- Diameter
- AGM-114R: 7 in (17.8 cm)
- Launch modes
- Lock-on before launch or lock-on after launch; autonomous or remote designation
- Warhead options
- Multi-purpose AGM-114R warhead, earlier anti-armor/blast-fragmentation branches, a roughly 20 lb / 9 kg Longbow Hellfire warhead in public reporting, and the reported non-explosive R9X kinetic payload with six deployable blades
Variants
The HELLFIRE family spans the original laser-guided line, HELLFIRE II/SAL variants, the radar-aided Longbow branch, the AGM-114R multi-purpose consolidation, and reported R9X kinetic variants.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Laser HELLFIRE / HELLFIRE II | Laser-guided anti-armor and point-target family | Redstone describes HELLFIRE as laser-guided and HELLFIRE II as the optimized laser-family version. Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information |
| Longbow HELLFIRE / AGM-114L | Radar-aided inertial branch | Redstone identifies Longbow HELLFIRE as radar-aided and millimeter-wave; U.S. Navy reporting documents AGM-114L firing from LCS surface-to-surface modules, and Ukraine reporting links the variant to mobile counter-UAS Tempest vehicles. Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information, USS Milwaukee fires missiles, kicks off LCS missile module developmental testing, Littoral combat ship completes first land attack missile exercise, TWZ Hellfire-Armed Drone-Killing Buggy |
| AGM-114R Multi-Purpose HELLFIRE II | Semi-active laser multi-purpose missile | Lockheed Martin product data describes the AGM-114R as a multi-purpose HELLFIRE II missile; Army FY 2024 procurement material treats laser Hellfire as the current Army line item. Sources: AGM-114R Multi-Purpose HELLFIRE II, FY 2024 Missile Procurement, Army |
| AGM-114R-9X / AGM-114R9X | Reported kinetic non-explosive modification | OSMP and Bellingcat describe a modified Hellfire with a kinetic blade warhead; TWZ documented visible AGM-114R-9X markings on recovered missile remnants, while public official detail remains limited. Sources: AGM-114R9X Hellfire, The Telltale Traces of the US Military's New Bladed Missile, TWZ Best Look At R9X Missile |
Carrier Aircraft
GlobalSecurity lists Hellfire among the A109's antitank missile options. A Marine AH-1W Super Cobra is documented carrying AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, so the missile family has a direct helicopter-carriage relationship in the catalog. Marine Corps sources show the Hellfire family mounted on KC-130J Hercules aircraft fitted with the Harvest HAWK weapons kit. Textron Aviation Defense lists the AT-6 Wolverine among aircraft that can carry AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Armed helicopter | GlobalSecurity lists Hellfire among the A109's antitank missile options. Sources: GlobalSecurity A109 specifications |
 | Armed utility helicopter | Lockheed Martin says armed Black Hawk external wings can carry Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. Sources: Adaptable Weapons Kit for International BLACK HAWK Helicopter | Lockheed Martin |
 | Multi-mission naval helicopter | NAVAIR and Navy reporting document MH-60S armed-helicopter testing that successfully fired Hellfire missiles from the Seahawk. |
 | Attack helicopter | The Israeli Air Force's Peten page says the AH-64A Peten can carry up to 16 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, confirming it as a carrier platform for the AGM-114 family. Sources: Helicopters - The Israeli Air Force |
 | Attack helicopter | The Army said AH-64E Apache crews employed RF and semi-active laser Hellfire missiles during a live counter-UAS demonstration. Sources: Apache Helicopter Proves Advanced Counter-UAS Capabilities in Live Demonstration |
 | Marine attack helicopter | A DVIDS caption shows an AH-1W Super Cobra armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, confirming the helicopter carried the missile family. |
 | Surface warfare helicopter | The Navy said the MH-60R will employ existing Hellfire missiles, identifying the Seahawk as a carrier platform for the AGM-114 family. Sources: Swamp Foxes Conduct First Swing Loaded Operational Flight |
 | Naval helicopter | The NHHC SH-60B Seahawk page lists AGM-114 Hellfire missiles among the helicopter's armament, confirming the Seahawk as a carrier platform for the missile family. Sources: SH-60B Seahawk | NHHC |
 | Attack helicopter | The Army says the AH-64 Apache is equipped with point target weapons systems including Hellfire missiles, and Redstone Arsenal history notes AH-64 Apaches fired Hellfire missiles in combat. Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information |
 | Strike aircraft | Air Tractor says the AT-802U can be fitted with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, and Air & Space Forces says Sky Warden can launch them from its hardpoints. Sources: AT-802U at SOFIC 2019 Goes Beyond "Light Attack", Armed and Dangerous |
 | Remotely piloted aircraft | U.S. Air Force sources say the MQ-9 Reaper can employ and carry AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. Sources: MQ-9 Reaper Fact Sheet |
 | Armed unmanned aerial vehicle | U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper fact sheets document armed-UAV carriage and employment of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, so this family page treats armed UAVs as carriers of the missile family. Sources: MQ-9 Reaper Fact Sheet |
 | Marine tanker-transport aircraft | Marine photos and video document VMGR-252 firing AGM-114 Hellfire missiles from KC-130J Hercules aircraft configured with Harvest HAWK. |
 | Attack helicopter | The Israeli Air Force identifies Saraph as an AH-64 Apache variant and lists up to 16 Hellfire missiles among the helicopter's armament, confirming it as a carrier platform for the AGM-114 family. Sources: The Israeli Air Force - Helicopters |
 | Armed reconnaissance aircraft | U.S. Air Forces Central reported Iraqi crews loading and launching AGM-114 Hellfire missiles from AC-208 aircraft, explicitly identifying the AC-208 as the launch platform. Sources: Iraqi Air Force achieves milestone with Hellfire missile shot |
 | Gunship aircraft | AFSOC and Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider fact sheets list AGM-114 Hellfire missiles in the aircraft's standoff precision-guided munitions loadout. Sources: AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet, Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider Fact Sheet |
 | Light attack and armed reconnaissance aircraft | Textron Aviation Defense lists AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided missiles among the AT-6 Wolverine's supported loads. Sources: AT-6 Wolverine and Beechcraft T-6 Texan II | Textron Aviation Defense |
Launcher Compatibility
Lockheed Martin describes the M299 as a reusable launcher for the HELLFIRE family, which is why the missile page links to it as a supported launch path.
| Launched item | Item type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Reusable multi-missile launcher | Lockheed Martin describes the M299 launcher as a HELLFIRE-family launcher, confirming a standard rotary-wing launch path for AGM-114 variants. Sources: M299 Launcher | Lockheed Martin |
Carrier UAVs
Source-backed reports identify the Hermes 450 as a carrier platform for Hellfire missiles.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Long-endurance tactical UAV | Business Standard describes the Hermes 450 as an assault UAV equipped with two Hellfire missiles, and Aviation Today likewise says the Hermes 450 long-endurance UAV can carry Hellfire missiles. Sources: Business Standard: Hermes 450 equipped with two Hellfire missiles, Aviation Today: Hermes 450 can carry Hellfire missiles |
Firing Platforms
Freedom-variant littoral combat ships fired AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles from the Surface-to-Surface Missile Module during developmental testing.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Freedom-variant littoral combat ship | USS Milwaukee, a Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, fired four AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles during LCS missile module developmental testing. Sources: USS Milwaukee fires missiles, kicks off LCS missile module developmental testing |
Timeline
AGM-114 Hellfire missile family Key Events
HELLFIRE name emerges
The Army terminal-homing initiative changed from Heliborne, Laser, Fire and Forget Missile to Helicopter Launched, Fire and Forget Missile.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
Laser HELLFIRE engineering development authorized
The Deputy Secretary of Defense authorized full-scale engineering development and decided to arm the Advanced Attack Helicopter with HELLFIRE.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
First programmed missile fired
The first programmed HELLFIRE missile was fired at Redstone Arsenal.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
Full-scale production approved
Redstone says HELLFIRE was approved for full-scale production on March 29, 1982.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
First TRADOC unit is equipped
The Army history page says the first TRADOC unit received HELLFIRE in May 1985.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
Apache fielding expands the family
Redstone says the Army approved release of HELLFIRE to the Apache in April 1986, after Navy/Marine production had already been approved for the AH-1J and AH-1W fleet.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
HELLFIRE Optimized Missile System office established
The HOMS product office was established for an all-digital missile adaptable to alternate seekers, with improved lethality and electro-optical performance.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
Desert Storm opens with HELLFIRE strikes
U.S. Army AH-64 Apaches used HELLFIRE missiles and Hydra rockets against Iraqi early-warning radar sites at the opening of Operation Desert Storm.
Sources: Redstone Arsenal Desert Storm role, HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
HOMS becomes HELLFIRE II
The HOMS development name changed to HELLFIRE II, an improved version of the HELLFIRE missile then in production.
Sources: HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical Information
R9X strike signature enters public record
Bellingcat treats the February 2017 Abu al-Khayr al-Masri strike in Syria as an early case later associated with the R9X's distinctive non-explosive vehicle damage and blade-slice signature.
Sources: The Telltale Traces of the US Military's New Bladed Missile, TWZ Best Look At R9X Missile
Recovered remnants show R9X markings
TWZ reported that a video of missile remnants from a Syria strike showed visible AGM-114R-9X markings and internal blade-hub components, while noting that the U.S. military had not officially confirmed the weapon's existence.
Sources: TWZ Best Look At R9X Missile
LCS land-target Longbow proof of concept
USS Montgomery fired AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles from the Surface-to-Surface Missile Module against a land target during a U.S. Navy proof-of-concept exercise.
Sources: Littoral combat ship completes first land attack missile exercise
Tempest appears in Ukrainian counter-drone service
Ukrainian Air Command footage and subsequent reporting showed V2X Tempest counter-UAS vehicles firing Hellfire-class missiles; TWZ assessed the armament as AGM-114L Longbow, while Business Insider noted the Ukrainian video did not name the missile type.
Sources: TWZ Hellfire-Armed Drone-Killing Buggy, Business Insider Tempest Hellfire Ukraine
Media
AGM-114 Hellfire missile family Videos
AGM-114 Hellfire missile family Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
AT-6 Wolverine and Beechcraft T-6 Texan II | Textron Aviation DefensePublisher: Textron Aviation Defense | Note: Supports AT-6 Wolverine carriage of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Lockheed Martin HELLFIREPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports manufacturer background and the HELLFIRE family's precision-strike role. | Accessed: 2026-07-02MQ-9 Reaper Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports MQ-9 carriage and employment of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02First Live Warhead Flight for Lockheed Martin's Multi-Purpose HELLFIRE II MissilePublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports MQ-9 carriage and employment of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles during the first live warhead flight. | Accessed: 2026-07-02AGM-114R Multi-Purpose HELLFIRE IIPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports AGM-114R Multi-Purpose HELLFIRE II specifications for range, weight, length, guidance, and multi-purpose warhead context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02AT-802U at SOFIC 2019 Goes Beyond "Light Attack"Publisher: Air Tractor | Note: Supports the AT-802U's fit for AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Armed and DangerousPublisher: Air & Space Forces | Note: Supports Sky Warden's AGM-114 Hellfire missile loadout from its hardpoints. | Accessed: 2026-07-02FY 2024 Missile Procurement, ArmyPublisher: U.S. Army Financial Management & Comptroller | Note: Supports HELLFIRE family background as an air-to-ground missile system for attack helicopters and UAS, and the FY 2024 gross/weapon system unit cost for the laser Hellfire missile line item. | Accessed: 2026-07-02HELLFIRE missile system - Redstone Arsenal Historical InformationPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports HELLFIRE design history, guidance branches, launch-platform context, historical cost, foreign operators, and first Desert Storm combat-use context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02AGM-114R9X HellfirePublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports AGM-114R9X background, air-to-surface classification, 49 kg weight class, and kinetic six-blade warhead description. | Accessed: 2026-07-02The Telltale Traces of the US Military's New Bladed MissilePublisher: Bellingcat | Note: Supports AGM-114R9X background as a modified Hellfire with a non-explosive kinetic effect, six blades, and documented open-source identification markers. | Accessed: 2026-07-02TWZ Best Look At R9X MissilePublisher: The War Zone | Note: 2011 Syrian Civil War: supports reported AGM-114R9X use in Syria through visible R9X markings and recovered remnants from strikes against al-Qaeda-linked figures; also supports R9X designation and component context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02TWZ R9X Afghanistan BattlefieldPublisher: The War Zone | Note: 2001 War in Afghanistan: supports reported AGM-114R9X use in a January 2020 Kunduz strike targeting a Taliban commander. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Mystery Yemen drone strike renews questions over US campaignPublisher: Associated Press | Note: 2014 Yemen Civil War: likely used by U.S. forces in a January 30, 2023 suspected drone strike near Marib against suspected AQAP members; AP and weapons experts assessed the weapon as a Hellfire R9X. | Accessed: 2026-07-02ABC News Hannibal Directive reportPublisher: ABC News | Note: 2023 Israel-Hamas War: fired by Israeli attack helicopters on October 7, 2023, during the response to Hamas's attack in southern Israel. | Accessed: 2026-07-02ABC US-Iran Hellfire reportPublisher: ABC News | Note: 2020 United States-Iran Conflict: used by U.S. forces in the January 3, 2020 strike on Qassem Soleimani; ABC reports Soleimani was killed by a Hellfire laser-guided missile from a drone. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Kurdish forces recapture militant-held towns in Iraq, SyriaPublisher: Associated Press | Note: 2011 Syrian Civil War: used by a U.S. drone in Raqqa against a target believed to be Jihadi John; AP said the strike involved a Hellfire missile from the drone. | Accessed: 2026-07-02386 AEW Block 5 MQ-9 first combat missionPublisher: U.S. Air Forces Central | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use under Operation Inherent Resolve: 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve: used by U.S.-led coalition forces when a Block 5 MQ-9 employed two Hellfires during a June 23, 2017 armed reconnaissance mission. | Accessed: 2026-07-02MH-60S 'Armed Helo' completes developmental testPublisher: NAVAIR - Navy | Note: Supports MH-60S Armed Helo developmental testing that fired AGM-114 Hellfire missiles from the Seahawk. | Accessed: 2026-07-02USS Milwaukee fires missiles, kicks off LCS missile module developmental testingPublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports USS Milwaukee firing four AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles during LCS missile module developmental testing. | Accessed: 2026-07-02KC-130J Harvest HAWKPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports the KC-130J Hercules Harvest HAWK configuration and the aircraft firing AGM-114 Hellfire and AGM-176 Griffin missiles during Marine close-air-support training. | Accessed: 2026-07-02KC-130J Harvest Hawk articlePublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports the Harvest Hawk kit description and the KC-130J Hercules firing Hellfire and Griffin missiles from a close-air-support configuration. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Swamp Foxes Conduct First Swing Loaded Operational FlightPublisher: United States Navy | Note: Supports the MH-60R Seahawk carrying existing AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and APKWS II in operational service. | Accessed: 2026-07-02SH-60B Seahawk | NHHCPublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports SH-60B Seahawk background and armament, including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Operation Odyssey Lightning AH-1W Hellfire loadingPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: 2016 U.S. Campaign Against ISIS in Libya: fielded by U.S. Marines who attached AGM-114 Hellfire missiles to an AH-1W Super Cobra in support of Operation Odyssey Lightning strikes near Sirte; also supports image provenance for the public-domain photo. | Accessed: 2026-07-02HMLA-269 squadron historyPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing | Note: 2016 U.S. Campaign Against ISIS in Libya: used by the HMLA detachment supporting Operation Odyssey Lightning, which delivered 164 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles against ISIL-L elements in Sirte. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Loading a Hellfire in KunduzPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: 2001 War in Afghanistan: fielded by U.S. Army crews loading an AGM-114 Hellfire missile on an AH-64E Apache for missions supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel and the Resolute Support Mission in Kunduz. | Accessed: 2026-07-02AFSOC AC-130J Ghostrider Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command | Note: Supports AC-130J Ghostrider carriage of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles in the aircraft's standoff precision-guided munitions loadout. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Helicopters - The Israeli Air ForcePublisher: Israeli Air Force | Note: Supports the AH-64A Peten's helicopter background and documented loadout, including capacity for up to 16 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02The Israeli Air Force - HelicoptersPublisher: Israeli Air Force | Note: Supports the AH-64 Apache family's Israeli-service background and Hellfire carriage context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports AC-130J Ghostrider carriage of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles in the aircraft's standoff precision-guided munitions loadout. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Iraqi Air Force achieves milestone with Hellfire missile shotPublisher: U.S. Air Forces Central | Note: Supports AC-208 Hellfire launch reporting and identifies the aircraft as the launch platform. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Apache Helicopter Proves Advanced Counter-UAS Capabilities in Live DemonstrationPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports AGM-114 Hellfire family carried by AH-64E Apache helicopters during the live counter-UAS demonstration. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Pentagon Confirms Death of High-ranking al-Shabab MilitantPublisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: 1991 Somali Civil War post-2006 al-Shabaab phase: used by U.S. aircraft in a December 29, 2014 airstrike near Saakow that struck an al-Shabab vehicle with several Hellfire missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02M299 Launcher | Lockheed MartinPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports the M299 launcher as a Hellfire-family launch path and the broader launcher compatibility relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Wikimedia Predator Hellfire photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the public-domain U.S. government photo showing an AGM-114 Hellfire on a Predator drone. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Wikimedia Apache Hellfire photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the OGL 1.0 Apache photo showing a Hellfire launch. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Wikimedia ROCA OH-58D Hellfire photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the Commons own-work photo showing two Hellfires loaded on a ROCA OH-58D. | Accessed: 2026-07-02GlobalSecurity A109 specificationsPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports the A109 carrying AGM-114 Hellfire antitank missiles as an armament option. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Adaptable Weapons Kit for International BLACK HAWK Helicopter | Lockheed MartinPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports Black Hawk external wings carrying Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Business Standard: Hermes 450 equipped with two Hellfire missilesPublisher: Business Standard | Note: Supports Hermes 450 carried-by evidence for the AGM-114 Hellfire family: reporting describes the Hermes 450 as an assault UAV equipped with two Hellfire missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Aviation Today: Hermes 450 can carry Hellfire missilesPublisher: Aviation Today | Note: Supports Hermes 450 carried-by evidence for the AGM-114 Hellfire family: reporting says the Hermes 450 long-endurance UAV can carry Hellfire missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Redstone Arsenal Desert Storm rolePublisher: U.S. Army | Note: 1990 Gulf War: documents AH-64 Apaches firing HELLFIRE missiles and Hydra rockets at Iraqi radar sites at the opening of Operation Desert Storm. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Wikimedia USS Wasp Hellfire photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the public-domain U.S. Navy photo showing an AGM-114 Hellfire on USS Wasp in September 2016. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Hellfire missiles in OIFPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: 2003 Iraq War: documents 25th Combat Aviation Brigade Hellfire missile use during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2006-2008, including Apache engagements and about 500 missiles fired. | Accessed: 2026-07-02NAVAIR more potent Hellfire warheadPublisher: NAVAIR - Navy | Note: 2003 Iraq War: describes Hellfire missiles with MAC warheads carried by Marine assault units in Operation Iraqi Freedom and supports broader Hellfire II warhead context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Littoral combat ship completes first land attack missile exercisePublisher: U.S. Fleet Forces Command | Note: Supports AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire launch context from the Independence-variant USS Montgomery, including three missiles fired from the LCS Surface-to-Surface Mission Module against a land-based target. | Accessed: 2026-07-08TWZ Hellfire-Armed Drone-Killing BuggyPublisher: The War Zone | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: supports Ukrainian use of V2X Tempest vehicles with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and TWZ's identification of the armament as the AGM-114L Longbow version in counter-UAS service. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Business Insider Tempest Hellfire UkrainePublisher: Business Insider | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: supports Ukrainian Air Command-linked reporting that Tempest crews destroyed Shahed drones with a guided-missile buggy and notes that the original Ukrainian video did not specifically identify the missile type. | Accessed: 2026-07-08V2X Tempest Mobile Fires PlatformPublisher: V2X, Inc. | Note: Supports Tempest manufacturer background, including the rugged COTS vehicle, dual launchers, counter-UAS capability, adverse-weather engagement claim, and mobile shoot-and-scoot concept. | Accessed: 2026-07-08