Replacing the “hellfire”: why the US is increasing the production of air-to-ground missiles

The US Department of Defense said it was doubling the production rate of Lockheed Martin’s Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) guided missiles. This is stated in a statement published on the website of the defense department.

“Lockheed Martin (Orlando, Florida) was awarded a modification (P00084) that increases the price of the W31P4Q-15-C-0102 contract by $ 15,547,894 to modernize the JAGM air-to-ground missile production line and increase the rate of monthly rocket production from 50 to 100 units, ”the Pentagon said in a message.

It is also noted that the estimated completion date is March 30, 2022.

The Joint Air-to-Ground Missile will replace the AGM-114 Hellfire missile, which is the main aircraft ammunition for attack helicopters of the American army, including the AH-64 Apache, as well as the unmanned aerial vehicles MQ-1 Predator. The basic version of the AGM-114 Hellfire has been in service with the American army since 1985.

According to Alexey Leonkov, an expert with Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, in an interview with RT, an increase in the number of JAGM missiles may also include US plans to supply these ammunition to other NATO countries.

“Most likely, the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile will be used not only by the US Army, but also by partners in the North Atlantic Alliance, since after the London summit, NATO announced an increase in the defense budget of the block,” the analyst said.

• Pentagon
• AFP
• © SAUL LOEB

Reports that the United States Army will soon receive the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile missile appeared in June 2018. Then the American media informed that the small-scale production of these weapons has begun.

It was noted that the rocket was developed on the basis of its predecessor Hellfire, but at the same time it is equipped with an updated combined homing system, which, according to the creators, allows JAGM to effectively hit stationary and moving ground and sea targets regardless of weather and in conditions of limited visibility.

It was also reported that before launching into production, the U.S. Army conducted JAGM tests for two years. In particular, in 2016 the rocket was first launched from the Gray Eagle drone. In addition, this type of weaponry was tested in helicopters and airplanes.

• US troops in Syria
• AFP
• © Delil SOULEIMAN

“Solve problems by force”

According to experts, an increase in the production of JAGM missiles is another sign that Washington is guided by the logic of an arms race. The Army Times, in particular, writes that the creation of the missile took place against the backdrop of doubts by the American side about the effectiveness of existing systems in the US against new developments in Russia and China in the field of protection of armored vehicles.

However, Leonkov believes that the United States is unlikely to have developed JAGM for use in potential conflicts with countries such as Russia and China. The expert pointed out that such weapons systems are not able to overcome enemy air defense.

“The Americans are making weapons, counting on the fact that the enemy will have relatively weak resistance. Their weapons systems are only suitable for colonial wars, ”Leonkov said.

However, Americans are actively developing in other areas, analysts emphasize. So, two days ago, the United States conducted a missile test, which had previously been banned by the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate and Shorter Range Missiles.

“On Thursday, December 12, 2019, at 08:30 Pacific time (19:30 Moscow time - RT ), the US Air Force, together with the Strategic Opportunity Directorate, conducted a test launch of a prototype of a ground-based ballistic missile in conventional equipment from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California” - The Pentagon said in a statement.

The US Department of Defense also said that the rocket detached from the launcher and, having flown more than 500 km, fell into the ocean.

The US military conducted similar maneuvers in August. Then they tested the non-nuclear ground-based cruise missile on the island of San Nicholas (California).

In addition, experts point to another increase in the defense budget of the United States.

On December 11, the US House of Representatives approved the country's defense budget for 2020 in the amount of $ 738 billion, which is 2.8% more than a year earlier. The document defining the policy of the Ministry of Defense involves the creation of the Space Forces. Donald Trump has already stated that he will sign the document “immediately” as soon as it is approved by the Senate. He wrote about this on Twitter.

Wow! All of our priorities have made it into the final NDAA: Pay Raise for our Troops, Rebuilding our Military, Paid Parental Leave, Border Security, and Space Force! Congress - don't delay this anymore! I will sign this historic defense legislation immediately!

Washington’s significant increase in the production of JAGM missiles, as well as other US militarization measures, are “in the trend of the American arms race,” retired military expert and retired colonel Viktor Litovkin said in a conversation with RT.

• US President Donald Trump
• Reuters
• © Carlos Barria

“This suggests that the American side is preparing to conduct hostilities. This is also evidenced by the deployment of US troops in Europe and in the Gulf. In addition, Washington is not going to leave Syria, the American troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan, ”the analyst said.

The United States is taking all these steps so that it has the “opportunity to solve the problems that arise on their way by force,” military historian Boris Yulin emphasizes in an interview with RT.

“Therefore, Washington, among other things, is increasing the production of weapons, diversifying it and modernizing outdated versions. For the same purpose, the White House withdraws from treaties that limit it in the military sphere, ”the expert said.