The US State Department has cleared a $22.3-million foreign military sale of AGM-114R Hellfire supersonic missiles to the Singapore Air Force, expanding the country’s existing order of the precision weapons.
The package covers 24 missiles, adding on top of a previous request worth $12.4 million for the same systems and increasing the supply for the Southeast Asian nation to a total of 67 units.
Beyond the weapons, the proposed sale consists of personnel training, associated equipment, and corresponding elements supporting the program.
Additional work includes five years of Hellfire spare parts supply, reprogramming of the Hellfire’s dedicated M299 launcher, provision of unguided munitions and flares, software verification, adjustments to the AN/AWM-101 Hellfire missile test kit, and access to technical manuals.
Washington noted that the potential acquisition will sustain Singapore’s capability to address current and future threats while enhancing its military’s preparatory programs.
The government assured that the transfer will not alter the military balance in the Asia Pacific, and will not affect the defense readiness of the US armed forces.
The AGM-114 Hellfire System
The Hellfire missile spans 64 inches (163 centimeters) in length, has a diameter of 7 inches (18 centimeters), and weighs 49 kilograms (108 pounds).
It can carry warheads with different effects, such as anti-tank, shaped and tandem charges, metal-augmented charge, and blast fragmentation systems.
The projectile is powered by a Thiokol TX-657 single-staged solid-fuel rocket, laser homing device, and radar seeker, enabling effectiveness against manned and unmanned aircraft, turrets, ships, and vehicles.
During operations, the Hellfire travels at Mach 1.3 (1,605 kilometers/997 miles per hour) and can destroy targets at up to 11 kilometers (7 miles).
