July 29, 2006:
The U.S. Army has ordered another 2,642 Hellfire II missiles, at a cost of $65,000 each. The 110 pound Hellfire is a popular weapon in the war on terror, partly because it doesn't make much (about equal to a 105mm artillery shell) of a bang. This reduces damage to nearby civilians, or friendly troops. Hellfire is extremely accurate (it can hit moving vehicles), and can be mounted on UAVs, like the Predator. Some 40,000 Hellfires have been manufactured since the first ones entered service in 1985.