The Croatian Air Force has achieved full operational capability for AGM-114 Hellfire missiles on its OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters after first ordering the missiles in 2017.
The Croatian defense ministry announced on April 15 that the delivery of the missiles by Lockheed Martin had been completed.
Croatian Kiowas already posses the necessary software integration for the missiles while the pilots have already performed training-missile firings as part of their preparation for the precision strike anti-armor capability.
The AGM-114L utilizes millimeter wave (MMW) radar guidance which provides beyond-line-of-sight, fire-and-forget capability, as well as the ability to operate in adverse weather and battlefield obscurants. The rocket is also the main anti-tank system used by US Army Apaches.
Croatia received a total of 16 Kiowa helicopters from the US Army in 2016. Croatian media reported in 2018 that a deal for an additional ten units was in the pipeline. There are currently 15 units in operation as the air force lost one of the helicopters in a fatal crash in January this year.
