IRIA News

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The United States Army has awarded American defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin a $720 million contract to produce Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) and HELLFIRE missiles, underscoring continued investment in precision strike systems.

The contract represents the fourth and final follow-on order under the Army’s current multi-year procurement program, reflecting the growing demand for versatile, combat-proven weapons across both U.S. services and allied militaries.

Program management director of Multi-Domain Missile Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Casey Walsh said, “This contract is a significant milestone in our ongoing partnership with the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and our international allies, and we’re proud to continue playing a vital role in their defense strategies.”

Walsh further highlighted, “As we continue to evolve our deterrence capabilities, we remain committed to supporting the military’s critical missions and helping to protect those who serve, both at home and abroad.”

Expanding U.S. and Allied Precision-Strike Capabilities

Lockheed Martin will deliver JAGM and Hellfire missiles to the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and a range of international customers. The award includes significant Foreign Military Sales, with 160 JAGMs allocated to the United Kingdom, and Hellfire missile orders placed by Poland, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Canada also joins as a new international customer for the Hellfire missiles.

The inclusion of multiple NATO allies highlights the broader strategic context of the award. Poland’s order for Hellfire missiles is directly tied to its acquisition of AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, significantly enhancing Warsaw’s deterrence capabilities on NATO’s eastern flank.

For the United Kingdom, the JAGM order ensures interoperability with U.S. forces, while Spain, Italy, and the Czech Republic will expand their use of combat-proven Hellfire systems.

Joint Air-to-Ground Missile

The Joint Air-to-Ground Missile is designed as the successor to the Hellfire, providing greater flexibility on the battlefield. The JAGM combines a dual-mode seeker with semi-active laser and millimeter wave radar guidance. This allows the missile to engage both stationary and moving targets in challenging environments, including poor weather or battlefield conditions where traditional systems may be less effective.

JAGM is compatible with multiple launch platforms, including the AH-64E Apache, AH-1Z Viper, and unmanned aerial systems. It offers fire-and-forget capability and lock-on-before-launch options, giving commanders a wider range of tactical choices. With its ability to strike armored vehicles, bunkers, and fast-moving threats, the system represents a significant advancement in precision-strike capability.

Other variants of the missile, such as the JAGM-MR, extend the missile’s range from 8 km to 16 km and include a third seeker mode, while the JAGM-F variant is capable of eject-launch employment on all high-performance fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets.

For U.S. forces and allied militaries, JAGM’s adaptability ensures that it can serve as a common munition across different aircraft and mission profiles, reducing logistical complexity while enhancing combat effectiveness.

Hellfire Missile

The AGM-114 Hellfire missile has been one of the most widely used precision-guided weapons since its introduction in the 1980s. Originally designed as an anti-armor weapon, it has evolved into a versatile system employed in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, and conventional operations.

The missile has been integrated on a wide range of platforms, from rotary-wing aircraft such as the Apache and Seahawk, to unmanned aerial vehicles including the MQ-9 Reaper.

The AGM-114R variant, Hellfire II, is a semi-active laser-guided missile with greater versatility and lethal accuracy, giving commanders significant flexibility in planning and executing missions. It streamlines the system by combining the capabilities of earlier Hellfire models into a single missile, eliminating the need for multiple warhead types. Equipped with a multi-purpose warhead, it can engage armored vehicles, air defense systems, patrol craft, as well as enemy personnel in buildings, caves, or vehicles.

The missile supports both autonomous operation and remote designation, with the option to lock on before launch or after launch. This flexibility improves platform survivability by allowing pilots to fire without maintaining direct line-of-sight.

With more than 145,000 units produced to date, Hellfire remains in service with the United States and more than a dozen allied nations. The continued demand through this latest contract shows that, even as JAGM enters service, the Hellfire remains a vital part of global arsenals.

Strategic Importance

The contract’s significance extends beyond missile production. For the U.S. Army and Navy, it ensures a steady supply of critical munitions at a time when global demand for precision strike systems is rising. For international partners, it enhances interoperability and provides access to proven capabilities that can be integrated seamlessly into NATO and coalition operations.

Both JAGM and Hellfire are designed and developed in Orlando, Florida, with production distributed across several Lockheed Martin facilities in Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Alabama. This multi-site manufacturing approach sustains a broad industrial base while supporting thousands of jobs within the U.S. defense sector.

As global security challenges intensify, from Eastern Europe to the Indo-Pacific, the need for advanced, reliable, and combat-proven missile systems continues to grow. The latest award to Lockheed Martin ensures that JAGM and Hellfire will remain central to U.S. and allied deterrence strategies for years to come.