Lockheed Martin, Eurocopter Ink Contract To Integrate Hellfire II Missile on Tigre Attack Helo   

8 May 2002

ORLANDO , Fla. ( May 8, 2002 ) – Lockheed Martin and Eurocopter recently signed a contract to integrate the Hellfire II missile and M299 Hellfire launcher on the Eurocopter Tigre helicopter.

The initial customer is Australia, in the AIR 87 armed reconnaissance helicopter program, which specified Hellfire for the weaponry after selecting Tigre to fulfil its coastal reconnaissance and defense mission. There are additional opportunities in Spain, France, Germany, and other countries.

The contract provides for integration at Eurocopter’s facility in Marignane, France and missile firings in Australia in early 2005 as part of the Tigre qualification effort.

Integration of the Hellfire II family of systems includes both the high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round with a shaped-charge warhead and the blast fragmentation Hellfire II that is qualified against ships. Hellfire II will give Tigre new lethality—bolstering Australia’s homeland maritime defense while retaining interoperability for allied operations.

Inking the Hellfire integration contract was an important step for Eurocopter in marketing Tigre in international attack/reconnaissance helicopter procurements. Given the scarcity of other capable armaments, Hellfire will give Tigre the lethality and versatility to compete against more robust platforms.

“Integration of the Hellfire II missile family with Eurocopter will enhance Tigre’s warfighting capability,” said Tom Goslin, Anti-Armor vice president at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The U.S. and Australian governments are fully committed to this project and we have received all the appropriate export licenses and agreements.”

Lockheed Martin has produced more than 16,000 Hellfire II missiles for the U.S. Army and 12 international customers. The missile is currently fielded on the Apache and Cobra attack helicopters, the Blackhawk and Seahawk helicopters, and the Kiowa scout helicopter. The company is also under contract to integrate the semi-active laser-guided Hellfire II and its millimeter-wave-guided fire-and-forget Longbow Hellfire on the Army’s RAH-66 Comanche stealth armed reconnaissance helicopter.

Lockheed Martin also builds the M299 Hellfire launcher for the U.S. Army and several international customers. The M299 can carry and fire any combination of Hellfire missiles, which provides mission flexibility against a wide range of targets.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control develops, manufactures and integrates world-class air defense, fire support, strike weapon, naval munition, combat vision, anti-armor and advanced product solutions and systems for U.S. and international armed forces. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems products and services.

Media Contacts:

Craig Vanbebber, cell phone, 214-762-2930 (At ILA-Berlin Air Show)

Erica Rychwalski, 407-356-5919; e-mail, erica.rychwalski@lmco.com 

For information on Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, visit: www.missilesandfirecontrol.com