AGM-114 Hellfire Missile Getting Articulated Warhead Capable Of Blasting In Different Directions
Details about the SPEAR warhead are tucked away in the Pentagon's 2026 Fiscal Year budget request. Other budget documents show that U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has been testing SPEAR since at least 2021. The development of the new warhead has been conducted as part of SOCOM's larger Stand-off Precision Guided Munitions (SOPGM) program, which includes special operations-specific Hellfire variants and a number of other air-launched munitions. Within the U.S. special operations community, Hellfire missiles are known to currently be employed from MQ-9 and MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones, as well as AC-130Js.
The video below shows an AC-130J firing Hellfires, as well as other weapons.
A 'FY2026 increase [in requested funding for SOPGM] is due to an overall increase in the cost to provide Hellfire with a Selectable Precision Effects Articulated (SPEAR) warhead,' the Pentagon's latest budget proposal explains.
SOCOM is asking for $49.972 million for SOPGM in the upcoming fiscal cycle, $2.643 million more than it received for the program in Fiscal Year 2025. The boost in funding will also support procurement of new Small Cruise Missiles (SCM) to arm the AC-130J, which you can read about more here.
'The SPEAR warhead is a dual-mode warhead (Forward/ Radial) that allows the user to select different firing modes (Radial or forward blast) depending on the targets,' the budget documents add. 'This new variant will be integrated on both the AC-130 Gunship and the MQ-9 Platforms.'
How exactly the warhead is 'articulated,' including whether or not it physically moves inside the missile body when switching between the forward and radial modes, is unclear. No further details about the kinds of effects the warhead is designed to produce in either mode (blast-fragmentation, overpressure, etc) are provided. TWZ has reached out to SOCOM for more information.
Regardless, the SPEAR warhead is clearly designed to give a single Hellfire missile added flexibility against different target sets. The standard warhead for the AGM-114R Hellfire, the predominant version in U.S. service today, consists of a shaped charge surrounded by a fragmentation 'sleeve' that sends out a cloud of deadly shrapnel upon detonation. This is billed as a multi-purpose warhead suitable for use against a wide variety of targets, including armored and unarmored vehicles, small boats, structures, and personnel in the open. However, the shaped charge component is fixed in a forward-facing position, while the design of the sleeve would give the fragmentation effect a radial pattern.
Being able to better focus the effects of the warhead forward or in a radial direction on command could be advantageous in various scenarios. For instance, air-bursting top-down attacks offer benefits against targets in trenches or behind hard cover, especially troops and softer-skinned vehicles. A radial effect could also be more desirable for engaging certain targets inside buildings. At the same time, SPEAR's 'articulated' design would still preserve the ability to focus the blast effect forward for more traditional point attacks on targets like vehicles or boats. In general, being able to more precisely focus the warhead's blast could also help reduce collateral damage.
The SPEAR warhead also offers magazine depth benefits since a launch platform would not have to carry a mixed load of Hellfires to offer the same breadth of effects. This, in turn, would eliminate the potentially hard choice about whether or not to employ a particular version of the missile during a sortie for fear of not having that option later on. More flexibility in ordnance loadout would make it easier to respond in the most effective way possible to threats or targets of opportunity that might suddenly appear, as well. The Air Force special operations MQ-9s and AC-130Js that are expected to be the first armed with these new Hellfires routinely conduct very long-duration sorties, including ones where hours are spent waiting for the best moment to launch a targeted strike or providing critical overwatch for forces on the ground.
SOCOM is certainly already well known for fielding an array of specialized Hellfires, including ones designed to substantially limit the risk of collateral damage during targeted strikes, particularly against specific individuals. The best known of these variants is the still highly classified AGM-114R9X, which has garnered nicknames like the 'Flying Ginsu' and 'Ninja Bomb' on account of it having an array of pop-out sword-like blades rather than a traditional high-explosive warhead.
Apparently, the US carried out a new assassination strike in Idlib Governorate of Syria on Tuesday.The remains of the R9X Hellfire missile were found at the scene of the strike on the road between Kafr Takharim and Armanaz in northern part of Idlib region. These missiles are… pic.twitter.com/avnsX02mMF
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) December 17, 2024
In March, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released the first-ever video, seen below, of an R9X Hellfire being employed, in this case in a strike targeting a member of Al Qaeda's franchise in Syria. TWZ was the first to identify the weapon's unique impact signature back in 2017, following another strike in Syria. 'Ginsu' Hellfires have also reportedly been used against targets in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Somalia, and Yemen.
CENTCOM Forces Kill the Senior Military Leader of Al-Qaeda Affiliate Hurras al-Din (HaD) in SyriaOn Feb. 23, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, targeting and killing Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, the senior military leader of… pic.twitter.com/trhDvgdgne
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 1, 2025
At least three other Hellfire designations – AGM-114R9E, R9G, and R9H – have been linked to low collateral damage variants in SOCOM's SOPGM arsenal, though details about their specific configurations are limited, as you can read more about here.
All this being said, it would not be hard to see Hellfires with SPEAR warheads migrating to other platforms outside of the U.S. special operations community. In addition, Hellfire missiles, the majority of which are laser-guided munitions, are best known as air-to-ground weapons, but the millimeter wave radar-guided AGM-114L Longbow variant has emerged as a useful tool for tackling drones in recent years. A warhead with selectable directional effects would offer advantages in the anti-air role.
The SPEAR warhead itself, or new designs leveraging the design, could find their way into other munitions. The AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), which is expected to eventually supplant the Hellfire in U.S. service, is notably derived from the AGM-114R and uses the same multi-purpose warhead.
It's also interesting to note here that the U.S. Air Force has been testing heavily modified AGM-114s with entirely new, fully articulating nose sections as part of its Missile Utility Transformation via Articulated Nose Technology (MUTANT) project. MUTANT has been exploring whether this technology could help improve the probability of a missile scoring a kill against an aerial target. The Air Force has stressed that Hellfire is currently being used mostly because it is a readily available design, and that it is not necessarily a direct path to an operational munition. Whether there has been any interest in exploring how the MUTANT technology could apply in an air-to-ground context is unknown.
In the meantime, SOCOM is at least moving forward with plans to arm MQ-9s and AC-130Js with new Hellfires carrying SPEAR warheads.
Contact the author: joe@twz.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
7 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Odd Lots: Housing Is a Problem Even in a State With Declining Population
You can kind of understand why it's so hard to build housing in New York City. There isn't much available land. It's already pretty built up. And then, add in the fact that so many people want to live in New York, and you can understand why it's so expensive. But what's the deal with Alaska? There seems to be plenty of land. And population has actually been in a a general state of decline. And yet, housing remains strained, with many of the same affordability problems seen elsewhere in the country. So what are the specific challenging dynamics to be overcome? On this episode, we speak with Jimmy Ord, Daniel Delfino, and Stacy Barnes of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation to understand the challenges they face, and the work they do to ease the strain. We get into both the specific logistical, political, and financial tools available to reduce pressure.
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Make your money work for you by ‘laddering' bonds or CDs
If you have a lot of cash on hand, it should be making money for you. One way to ensure it continuously does that is to set up a ladder of Treasuries or FDIC-insured certificates of deposit with staggered maturities (eg, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, etc.). When a ladder might make sense A laddering strategy can offer low-risk, predictable returns that will help you keep up with — or beat — inflation, while protecting your money during volatile markets and helping you meet your near- and intermediate-term goals. 'Which ladder works for you depends on your needs,' said Collin Martin, a fixed income strategist at Schwab Center for Financial Research. For example, ladders can be useful if you want to: Preserve purchasing power: A fixed income ladder can help if your main concern for a given sum of money is to protect the principal and not let inflation devalue it. Rhode-Island based certified financial planner Sue Gardiner had a client whose goal was to preserve capital and protect purchasing power of money going to beneficiaries of an inherited IRA that had to be fully distributed within 10 years. 'So we used TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities) to hedge inflation, but balanced them with Treasuries and brokered CDs to lock in competitive yields and keep annual liquidity,' she said. 'The ladder was designed so each year's withdrawal is funded by maturing securities.' Pay off debt: If you have credit card debt and can secure a zero-rate balance transfer card — which lets you pay off your debt interest free for up to 21 months — a ladder of CDs or bonds can generate additional income to help clear your balance. Say you have $100,000 from the sale of a house or an inheritance. If you don't already have an emergency fund, set aside some of the money into a high-yield FDIC-insured online savings account or a money market fund. Then split the rest evenly across the number of 'rungs' in the ladder you choose. For instance, a three-month CD or Treasury, another one maturing in six months and a third one maturing in a year. As a CD or Treasury comes due, direct the income it throws off plus some or all of the principal to pay down your 0% credit card debt, Gardiner suggested. Grow savings for a specific end dat e: Or, say you want to have enough money to make a down payment on a home in five years. 'If the goal has a finite date, ladder the strategy so all the money is available for the down payment [on that date],' Gardiner said. Set up a cash flow stream: If you're about to retire but won't claim Social Security for a few years, you might consider a laddered bonds strategy to provide a steady income stream between now and then or even for longer. 'It provides stability and predictability while bridging the gap until larger income sources like Social Security kick in, or to create a predictable foundation while other assets are positioned for growth,' Wade Pfau, founder of the site Retirement Researcher, wrote in an article about bond laddering. 'As one (bond) matures, the principal is returned and can be reinvested or spent, depending on your needs at that time.' Questions to ask To set up a laddering strategy that works for you, consider these questions: How long before I need the money? Be very clear what your liquidity needs will be for the money you're investing. Once a ladder of investments with staggering maturities is set up, if you tap any before they come due, you may have to pay a penalty in the case of CDs that you buy directly from a bank; or you might lose some of your principal if you're selling a bond (or a CD purchased through a brokerage) when you sell it back into the secondary market. 'Make sure you match up maturities of those holdings with what your time horizon is. You don't want to suddenly need all of it and be forced to sell at a loss,' Martin said. Also know that any investment on your ladder that is labeled 'callable' means the issuer can recall it and pay you back your principal before the instrument comes due, plus any income owed up until that point. So ideally, you will only invest in non-callable CDs or bonds, otherwise you might need to reinvest it sooner than you think. Does it make more sense to invest in CDs or bonds? What you'll net after taxes from your investment is a key consideration. The income you earn from a CD is taxable at the federal, state and local level. If you invest in Treasuries, the income is exempt from state and local taxes. So if you live in a high-tax area, they may be a better bet. But if you live in a state with no income tax or very low income taxes and the yield on a CD is better than a bond of similar duration, the CD may be your better bet. Do I want to manage the ladder myself? If you're setting up a ladder of CDs or Treasuries for a one-time, date-certain purpose and your plan is to use the money as it comes due, that might be the simplest thing for you to set up and manage. But if your plan is to use a ladder on an ongoing basis for income, that will mean you have to keep track of everything and be proactive about reinvesting your money whenever it comes due to maximize your income potential. Alternatively, there are now some ETFs that ladder bonds, which can do the work for you if they're structured in a way that meets your goals. If you're building you own ladder, your brokerage may offer model laddering strategies that will help you set one up and then can automatically do the reinvesting for you if you choose. If, however, you're considering laddering municipal bonds for their tax advantages or corporate bonds to maximize yield, you might consult a fixed income adviser or have an investment professional manage your ladder for you because those instruments require a little more research to make sure you're getting the risk-reward trade-off. 'You don't want to blindly invest in those,' Martin said.
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bulls front office slammed in new NBA GM ranking
Bulls front office slammed in new NBA GM ranking originally appeared on The Sporting News For the sole team in the NBA's third-biggest market (both New York and Los Angeles have two clubs apiece), the Chicago Bulls have been an absolute exercise in irrelevance for the better part of a decade at this point. To wit, Chicago has been given just three nationally broadcast games heading into the 2025-26 season, more than only five clubs who got only two such games per — the Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Utha Jazz and Washington Wizards. Since trading away future Hall of Fame swingman Jimmy Butler during his absolute prime in 2017, the team has made the playoffs just once. Butler, meanwhile, has made the playoffs every season and has appeared in two NBA Finals. Understandably, without any obvious blue chippers, Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports has slammed team president Arturas Karnisovas in a new ranking of the NBA's front office leaders. Rohrbach's rankings cover just 23 of the 30 top decision makers for each club, as Rohrbach notes that seven such figures haven't been on the job long enough for him to make a definitive qualitative appraisal. "It should come as no surprise that Karnisovas' Bulls rank dead last. The once-proud franchise has been a mess ever since Michael Jordan left in 1998, save for a short-lived resurgence under Derrick Rose," Rohrbach writes. "They have made the playoffs once under Karnisovas, getting gentlemanly swept from the first round in 2022." MORE NEWS:Bold Bulls trade proposal sees Chicago land All-Star forward from Raptors Karnisovas, who has been in power since 2020, replaced the Bulls' prior one-two front office punch of John Paxson and Gar Forman — both of whom were criticized for not making enough trades and signing over-the-hill veterans during the team's Rose era. Compared to Karnisovas, Paxson and Forman made trades at the rate of Danny Ainge. Both front offices generally prioritized past-their-prime free agents. Paxson and Forman's critical decision to offload Butler eventually led to their departure three seasons later, following a middling rebuild attempt (which Forman pretended was a mere "retooling" for some misguided semantic reason). "Other than that, the Bulls have been an annual entrant into the Eastern Conference's play-in tournament, where they regularly have lost, staying stuck in the NBA's dreaded middle for the better part of a decade," Rohrbach adds. Not making the playoffs for three straight seasons — even in what is essentially the NBA's JV conference (the East) — when a majority of teams (16 of 30) do make the playoffs doesn't make the Bulls mediocre, despite their records hovering around .500 for the last several seasons. It makes them bad. MORE NEWS:Bulls announce first scheduled matchup against Lonzo Ball
