A US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter recently flew with the Spike NLOS (Non Line-of-Sight) missile in Erbil Air Base, Iraq.
The flight was part of the Rafael missile’s operational tests with the attack rotorcraft, assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade.
A training (inert) Spike missile was used for the first time with the aircraft flown by a conventional army unit.
Previously, the missile had been tested at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and in Germany.
The recent flight was one of the final steps before operationalizing the missile with the aircraft in combat.
“The 101 Combat Aviation Brigade continues to find opportunities to transform in contact and advance Army aviation integration in the combined arms fight,” commander of the 101 Combat Aviation Brigade Col. Tyler Partridge said.
“Operational Testing Spike NLOS munitions with the AH-64E V6 onboard systems helps us build readiness for real-world employment and ultimately provide more combat power and capability to the ground force.”
The 101st plans to use the missile on its current deployment supporting the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, a campaign against the Islamic State.
Enhanced Capability
The Spike offers over four times the range of the Hellfire missile at 32 kilometers (20 miles).
The AH-64 carries both the AGM-114 Hellfire and the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile, with ranges of 7 to 11 kilometers (4 to 7 miles) and 8 to 16 kilometers (5 to 10 miles) respectively.
The electro-optical/infrared missile carries multi-purpose warheads (anti-tank/anti-structure/ anti-ship/ anti-personnel).
Its seeker and wireless data link provide the operator with real-time video imagery and man-in-the-loop control throughout flight, with mid-flight retargeting and mission-abort.
Interim-Long Range Precision Munition
The US Army selected the missile for the Interim-Long Range Precision Munition (I-LRPM) program to assess the characteristics of a long-range precision munition.
Spike was selected for the program following a shoot-off with an undisclosed number of competitors in November 2022.
The identity of the other competitors was not revealed as it was deemed “sensitive,” Defense News wrote, citing a US Army spokesperson.
