# US recovers Hellfire missile from Niger after drone crash

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2020/03/us-recovers-hellfire-missile-from-niger-after-drone-crash/
- Published: 2020-03-06T02:56:08+01:00
- Author: Sarah Lesedi

The United States African Command (AFRICOM) confirmed earlier this week that it 
has retrieved the Hellfire missile that was armed on [an MQ-1C drone that crashed](https://www.military.africa/2020/03/us-recovers-hellfire-missile-from-niger-after-drone-crash/military.africa/2020/03/united-states-military-mq-1c-gray-eagle-drone-crash-the-niger?v=bf7410a9ee72)
near Agadez, Niger, on Feb. 29.

The MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone was lost after suffering a mechanical failure, according
to a March 2 statement by AFRICOM via its Twitter handle.

The AGM-114 Hellfire missile which detached during the crash of the MQ-1C drone,
was spotted intact on a photograph on social media beside an unknown man.

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![](military.africa/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_20200306_023113.jpg)

The AGM-114 Hellfire missile still largely intact after the drone crash.

With the Hellfire missile being intact, it raised fears that sensitive military 
technology could be passed on to the terror groups operating in Niger.

Since the last decade, a number of terror and insurgent groups have been operating
in Niger and West Africa to include ISIS and al-Qaida offshoots.

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According to a Nigerien source, a special force team from the US and Niger military
escorted the projectile back to Nigerien Air Base 201, located around 5 km southeast
of Agadez.

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## The AGM-114 HELLFIRE missile

The AGM-114 HELLFIRE Family of Missiles includes the HELLFIRE II and Longbow HELLFIRE
Missiles. HELLFIRE II is a precision strike, Semi-Active Laser (SAL)-guided missile
and is the principal air-to-ground weapon for the Army AH-64 Apache, OH-58 Kiowa
Warrior, MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), Special Operations aircraft,
Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra, and Air Force Predator and Reaper UAS.

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