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United States Lockheed Martin
AGM-114 Hellfire
Air-to-ground precision missile originally designed as a helicopter-launched anti-tank weapon, now the primary armament for MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator drone strikes worldwide with laser and radar-guided variants.
In service since 1984 · 20 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
8
km range
1.3
Mach
9
kg warhead
💲 ≈ $150,000, Recent U.S. procurement lots price the Hellfire II all-up round at roughly $130,000 to $160,000 each, based on DoD budget documents and defense trade press analysis. Cost varies notably by service and variant, older Army and Air Force budget years show figures as low as $31,000 and as high as $213,000 depending on base versus overseas contingency funding.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 20 operators
In service since 1984. Status: active · ~100,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.3 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 8 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 9 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped charge |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Semi-active laser, Millimeter-wave radar (Longbow) |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 1.6 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 49 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Solid-fuel rocket |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $150,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 100,000 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 20 |
Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Head-to-head comparisons
AGM-114 Hellfire vs
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire? +
The Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire has a maximum range of 8 km.
How much does the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire weigh? +
The Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire has a combat weight of 49 kg.
What is the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire used for? +
The Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire is a missile typically used for anti armor.
How many countries operate the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire? +
The Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire is operated by 20 countries.
How much does the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire cost? +
The Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire has an approximate unit cost of 150,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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