The Brimstone, which was originally designed as a Hellfire rocket, is now an air-to–ground missile. It is designed for use from aircraft, helicopters, and ships, and uses semi-active laser and millimetre wave radar guidance. It can also be used from drones. This is known as "fire & forget." It has been used in many countries including Saudi Arabia and the UK. In fact, the Brimstone series has produced over 2000 examples.
In 2005, the Brimstone rocket was put into service. It was initially designed to be used on aircraft like the Tornado GR.4, although this was prevented by the rules for engagement during air-to ground combat in Afghanistan. The RAF had planned to use Brimstone with its Harrier GR.7 strike jets, but it was removed from the British fleet before they could be configured to use it. The RAF had to come up with a solution to allow the GR.4 carry Brimstone without compromising its operational capabilities.
The Brimstone was created to carry a tandem, shaped-charge warhead. The warhead can penetrate both reactive and conventional armour. The warhead is intended to be fired from aircraft and helicopters but can also be used in a naval-based version, the Sea Spear. The missile is also being made for UAVs including the MQ-9 Reaper attack helicopters and the AH64 Apache attack helicopters.
The Brimstone missile is able to target fast-moving targets by using semi-active laser and millimetre wave (mmW) radar guidance. This enables the missile to be guided towards the target and paint a laser spot on the target, minimizing the exposure of the launch aircraft. The target is then destroyed.
The dual guidance systems of the missile can be used to paint enemy targets even when there is no clear path. The missile can also lock on to its target immediately after launch. It can also be programmed so that it searches in a particular area. A lock-on after-launch is an important feature of the missile, as the warhead can withstand enemy countermeasures.
The Brimstone is capable to carry a tandem HEAT warhead with shaped-charge charge. The warhead can penetrate 800mm of steel armor. You can use the warhead to engage material targets and troop concentrations. It can also destroy small boats, boats and other aircraft. It is used in the wars in Yemen and Libya, and has recently been deployed by Ukrainian forces against Russian forces.
The Brimstone has dual guidance system, making it one of few missiles that use them. The Dual Mode Brimstone (DMB), has been supplied by MBDA to Britain. The DMB developed as an Urgent Operational Requirement. Dual Mode Brimstone retains a millimetre wavelength seeker, but it also has semi-active laser guidance. A second party can steer the missile with its dual guidance system.
Brimstone missiles are a crucial component of the RAF's ground-to-air combat strategy. Dual Mode Brimstone is to be mounted on Eurofighter planes and MBDA’s Meteor Beyond Visual Range, (MBVR), air-to-air missile. UK Army Air Corps aircraft will also use the missile on their Apache AH Mk.1 gunship fleet.