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May 19, 2003
The U.S. Marine AH-1W helicopter gunships used a new version of the Hellfire missile (the AGM-114N ) in Iraq. AGM-114N uses a thermobaric warhead. The official name is "Metal Augmented Charge," and it's a new application for the fuel air type explosive that Russia has been developing (and selling on the open market) for the last decade. This weapon was developed in less than a year. The warhead dispenses an explosive mist when it hits a target, and then detonates an explosion that will go around corners and into every corner of a building, bunker or cave. Since the Hellfire is accurate enough to be put through a cave entrance, window or bunker opening, it's a much more effective weapon for these types of targets. The blast created is more effective at killing people than destroying structures. But the intense heat created is also useful for destroying chemical and biological weapons. Captured Iraqi soldiers said one of the reasons they surrendered was stories of American weapons "that melted soldiers." A thermobaric weapon will do that. Hellfires are also used by AH-64 Apaches and Predator UAVs. There is also a new thermobaric bomb, the BLU-118S, which was used in Afghanistan.
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