The missile that killed Zawahiri

Missiles that killed Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri – while he stood on a balcony in the Afghan capital Kabul – caused minor collateral damage, suggesting they were Hellfire R9X variants


AGM 114 R9X Hellfire “blade” missile 
Length: 1.4m, weight: 49kg, range: 12km

Launched from MQ-1 Predator drone or helicopter

R9X: Modified version of Hellfire air-to-ground, anti-armour missile, without explosive warhead. Designed to plunge through tops of cars or buildings to kill target without harming others

Seeker

Nickname: “Ninja” bomb or “flying Ginsu”

Fire and forget: Seeker uses combination of laser and MMW (millimeter wave) technology

Target is selected using laser beam – MMW radar guides missile to target

Blades: Retracted during flight. Just before impact, six blades shoot out from sides of spinning missile to shred its target


Sources: Bellingcat, Global Security
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