Lockheed Martin lands $632M FMS contract for AGM-114 Hellfire II missile production.

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $632 million Foreign Military Sales contract to procure a variety of AGM-114 Hellfire II missile variants in containers to Japan and the Netherlands, the US Department of Defense announced on October 1st.

An US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter with 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, with a range of greater than five miles the AGM-114 Hellfire missiles have a multi mission capability in Erbil, Iraq, May 5, 2016
(U.S. Army Photo/1st Lt. Aaron DeCapua, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs)

"Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021," the Pentagon added. However, the US DoD didn't detailed the exact size of each order.

Netherlands requested a $34 million FMS in July 2017 for an additional 70 AGM-114R Hellfire II missiles. This missile is currently being used by the 28 Apache AH-64D attack helicopters in service with the RNLAF. "The Netherlands will use this capability to strengthen its homeland defense, deter regional threats, and provide direct support to coalition operations", the DSCA then quoted.

In Japan, the AGM-114 Hellfire II is also used on AH-64DJP platform, 12 of which being currently in service with the JGSDF.

The AGM-114 II Hellfire is an air-to-ground missile currently produced in five variants. The AGM-114R multipurpose missile is the latest in the Hellfire II missile range. It features i.e. a semi-active laser seeker.