The U.S. Department of State has approved the sale of 530 AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles to the Netherlands for $200 million.
The $200 million contract was issued as part of a U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement with the Netherlands. Lockheed Martin, based in Orlando, Florida, was selected as the prime contractor.
In addition to supplying the missiles, the deal includes technical assistance from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command’s Security Assistance Management Directorate, support from the Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions Project Office, Hellfire publications, integration support, and related logistics and program services.
The Hellfire is an air-to-ground missile used by the two main attack platforms of the Dutch military: the fleet of 28 AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and its MQ-9A Reaper drones. Both platforms are actively used in NATO missions.
The AGM-114R2 is the current production variant of the Hellfire, combining semi-active laser guidance with an inertial navigation system. It flies at approximately Mach 1.3, carries a 12.5 kg high-explosive semi-armor-piercing warhead capable of defeating armored vehicles and hardened structures, and can engage targets at ranges from 500 meters to 8 kilometers.
The Netherlands has been purchasing Hellfire missiles from the United States since 1995, but this latest order is by far the largest in a single package. Previous acquisitions by the country total more than 1,000 missiles over three decades, with the most recent prior order placed in 2017.
The 2024 approval of 386 missiles for $150 million was already a notable increase, but with 530 missiles now approved for $200 million, it shows the pace is accelerating. This reflects both the scale of the current Dutch military inventory and the broader realities of European defense in an era of active conflict on the continent.
At the same time, the U.S. Department of State framed the sale as supporting Dutch national defense, helping deter regional threats and enhancing the country’s interoperability with the United States and other NATO allies.
Photo: Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
