Table of Contents
Are Hellfires fire and forget?
The AGM-114L, or Longbow Hellfire, is a fire-and-forget weapon: equipped with a millimeter wave (MMW) radar seeker, it requires no further guidance after launch—even being able to lock on to its target after launch—and can hit its target without the launcher or other friendly unit being in line of sight of the target.
Why was the Pave Low retired?
MH-53M Pave Low IV, AF serial number 73-1649. It was retired and intended for a museum when it erroneously ended up in the “Boneyard” of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group.
How do Apache helicopters work?
How Apache Helicopters Work. An Apache fires two Hellfire missiles in a training exercise. The Apache’s chief function is to take out heavily armored ground targets, such as tanks and bunkers. To inflict this kind of damage, you need some heavy fire power, and to do it from a helicopter, you need an extremely sophisticated targeting system.
What is the best antitank weapon for the Apache helicopter?
Rockwell AGM-114A Hellfire missile. The Hellfire missile carries the main punch of the Apache and is a significant improvement over the TOW missile which was originally specified. The TOW is an excellent antitank weapon but has the major drawback of requiring line-of-sight contact with the target for the entire flight.
How does the Hellfire II work on helicopters?
The helicopter (or a ground targeting crew) has to keep the laser fixed on the target until the missile makes contact. This means the helicopter has to be out in the open, vulnerable to attack. The Hellfire II, used in Apache Longbow helicopters, corrects these flaws.
How many Hellfire missiles can an Apache carry?
Of course, the Apache crews would love to carry 16 Hellfires, 38 FFARs, and a couple of air-to-air missiles along with a full magazine of 30mm ammo. The Apache, unfortunately, cannot carry everything, and in some weather conditions loads must be further reduced.