The appearance of a mysterious AGM-114 Hellfire missile on an Israeli AH-64D Apache attack helicopter in promotional material released by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has left observers puzzled, as reported by Parth Satam in EurAsian Times. Based on the color of the 'bands' and the missile's overall color scheme, it could either be equipped with a thermobaric warhead designed to destroy Hamas's underground infrastructure or an incendiary explosive.
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IsAF AH-64D Apache with a Hellfire missile sporting a red band and grey color scheme (Picture source: Twitter account of IsAF)
Depending on the warhead mode selected by the Apache's gunner, the AGM-114 Hellfire missile can either explode in the air or upon impact. Both the incendiary and thermobaric missiles, if used to target Hamas tunnels, can result in significant devastation to the underground infrastructure and anyone inside.
On November 4, the Israeli Air Force posted a photo on its official Twitter (X) account, showing an AH-64D presumably flying toward Gaza. However, one of the Hellfire missiles on the inner pylon of the right-side wing stub had a red-colored band, which stood out from the three other Hellfire missiles with yellow bands, typically seen on live Hellfires and this Israeli Apache in particular. The missile's overall color was also grayish, unlike the dark olive color. The Israeli Air Force later removed the photo and replaced it with an image of an Apache carrying four Hellfires with only yellow bands. Puzzling, isn’t it?
Parth Satam reports that military analysts on social media pointed to other open-source pictures of Hellfire missiles with yellow bands. Official U.S. military weapons classification manuals suggest that a red band could represent an incendiary warhead or an AGM-114N with a thermobaric warhead. The latter option appears to be more suited to the IDF's needs in Gaza for targeting bunkers and underground structures.
A thermobaric warhead, also known as a vacuum bomb, consists of two separate explosive charges: one charge is mostly fuel, which mixes with atmospheric oxygen to create an aerosol-like cloud, while the second charge detonates it, generating a massive blast wave. The high temperature and destructive shockwave make thermobaric weapons particularly effective in enclosed spaces such as tunnels, bunkers, and caves, which are prevalent in Gaza.
There's also a possibility that the AGM-114N with a thermobaric warhead does not always feature a red band, as suggested by leading military analyst Guy Plopsky, Parth Satam writes. This raises the possibility that the markings could be specific to Israel, as the country is known to customize the performance specifications of weapons it procures from the U.S.
One conceivable scenario where Apaches and Hellfires could be utilized is when the helicopter fires the missile into an exposed tunnel or bunker captured by IDF soldiers. The resulting explosion and shockwave could potentially destroy several kilometers of the tunnel, rendering it permanently unusable.
Another image posted by the IsAF showing an AH-64D Apache, this time with all four Hellfires sporting yellow bands (Picture source: Twitter account of IsAF)
