The U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is managing the programme, funded from the Army’s fiscal 2025 missile procurement budget. The Hellfire II is a semi-active laser-guided precision strike missile designed to defeat a wide range of targets including armour, air defences, patrol boats and enemy combatants in buildings, open areas, SUVs or caves.
The AGM-114R variant combines all previous Hellfire II versions into a single missile with a multi-purpose warhead, enabling operators to meet diverse mission requirements with one loadout. It can be launched from helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, ground vehicles and boats, using lock-on before or after launch for greater platform survivability.
The JAGM, also known as AGM-179, is a multi-sensor, air-to-ground missile that pairs an improved semi-active laser with a millimetre wave radar for “fire-and-forget” engagements. Tested in multiple flight trials, it can strike stationary and moving targets in all weather, through battlefield obscurants and in GPS-denied environments, reducing collateral damage while increasing operator survivability.
