Poland to Equip New AW149 Choppers With Hellfire Missiles

The Polish Ministry of Defence has announced its new AW149 multi-role helicopters will be equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.

The announcement comes after the US State Department approved a $150-million foreign military sale of Hellfire air-to-ground missiles to Warsaw.

Integrating Lockheed Martin’s powerful missile system into the AW149 would allow the chopper to neutralize enemy armor autonomously.

It would also enable the entire fleet to support combat missions from the air.

Apart from the guided missiles, the helicopters will have observation systems, rockets, and other self-defense systems “aligned with the requirements of the Polish Armed Forces.”

The Hellfire Missile

The AGM-114 Hellfire is a precision strike missile currently equipped on the US Army’s AH-64 Apache helicopters and MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone.

It utilizes laser energy to hit enemy choppers or slow-moving fixed-wing aircraft with high accuracy.

The weapon also features a significant anti-tank capability, as it can reportedly defeat “any known tank in the world today.”