Apache missile/bomb question please!

[junctiontwo]

Hi All,

Firstly I take my hat off & bow to all those serving, have served & will serve - you are to be admired in every respect.

My question is probably quite basic but I'm an ignorant newbie! When watching vids of Apaches firing various arms, some seem to be more 'explosive' than others. Am I right in thinking that many rely on the extreme pressure waves to cause death and/or damage?

Many times there is a distinct lack of heat pattern picked up by the camera and I can only assume that the sheer force of the missile is sufficient to cause any form of destruction.

Thanks!

:thumbsup:

[coltsfan2007]

Apaches usually fly with two Hydra rocket launchers in place of two of the Hellfire missile sets. Each rocket launcher carries 19 folding-fin 2.75-inch aerial rockets, secured in launching tubes. To fire the rockets, the launcher triggers an igniter at the rear end of the tube. The Apache gunner can fire one rocket at a time or launch them in groups. The flight fins unfold to stabilize the rocket once it leaves the launcher.
The rockets work with a variety of warhead designs. For example, they might be armed with high-power explosives or just smoke-producing materials. In one configuration, the warhead delivers several submunitions, small bombs that separate from the rocket in the air and fall on targets below.

VS.

The Apache's primary weapon, the Hellfire missile, meets these demands. Each missile is a miniature aircraft, complete with its own guidance computer, steering control and propulsion system. The payload is a high-explosive, copper-lined-charge warhead powerful enough to burn through the heaviest tank armor in existence.
The Apache carries the missiles on four firing rails attached to pylons mounted to its wings. There are two pylons on each wing, and each pylon can support four missiles, so the Apache can carry as many as 16 missiles at a time. Before launching, each missile receives instructions directly from the helicopter's computer. When the computer transmits the fire signal, the missile sets off the propellant. Once the burning propellant generates about 500 pounds of force, the missile breaks free of the rail. As the missile speeds up, the force of acceleration triggers the arming mechanism. When the missile makes contact with the target, an impact sensor sets off the warhead.
The original Hellfire design uses a laser guidance system to hit its mark. In this system, the Apache gunner aims a high-intensity laser beam at the target (in some situations, ground forces might operate the laser instead). The laser pulses on and off in a particular coded pattern.

Each rail set holds four Hellfire missiles.
Photo courtesy U.S. Army
Before giving the firing signal, the Apache computer tells the missile's control system the specific pulse pattern of the laser. The missile has a laser seeker on its nose that detects the laser light reflecting off the target. In this way, the missile can see where the target is. The guidance system calculates which way the missile needs to turn in order to head straight for the reflected laser light. To change course, the guidance system moves the missile's flight fins. This is basically the same way an airplane steers.

Photo courtesy U.S. Army
The laser-guided Hellfire system is highly effective, but it has some significant drawbacks:
Cloud cover or obstacles can block the laser beam so it never makes it to the target.
If the missile passes through a cloud, it can lose sight of the target.
The helicopter (or a ground targeting crew) has to keep the laser fixed on the target until the missile makes contact. This means the helicopter has to be out in the open, vulnerable to attack.
The Hellfire II, used in Apache Longbow helicopters, corrects these flaws. Instead of a laser-seeking system, the missile has a radar seeker. The helicopter's radar locates the target, and the missiles zero in on it. Since radio waves aren't obscured by clouds or obstacles, the missile is more likely to find its target. Since it doesn't have to keep the laser focused on the target, the helicopter can fire the missile and immediately find cover.