The rapid progress of technology, especially the digital system, has had a significant impact on most aspects of life. It ranges from the world of smartphones and internet-connected home devices to all forms of political events and wars, including the war against terrorist organizations whose detrimental effects have expanded over the past two decades. This witnessed the emergence of high-speed and high-precision technologies in the field of weapons and ammunition, aligning with this progress on the one hand, and ensuring operational superiority that achieves objectives with high precision, on the other.
Given this ongoing advancement in the global market of smart weapons, it has become essential to reinforce the infrastructure of weapons and ammunition. This includes remotely guided missiles aiming to uphold national security protection amidst the growing challenges and risks. The urgent need to avoid potential collateral damage when targeting terrorist elements has called for the development of specific types of weapons that achieve advancement, precision, adept evasion, maneuverability, and target tracking. This applies to the model referenced in this article, known as the AGM-114R9X Special Mission Missile, or the «Ninja,» «Samurai Sword,» «Limb Reaper,» or the «Silent Assassin» as termed by military experts.
Technical Specifications
The American missile known as the «Ninja,» abbreviated as «R9X,» is referred to as the «Flying Ginsu,» named after the famous «Ginsu» brand in the world of knives. It relies on shock force and blade deployment to target without causing harm to civilians or nearby property, according to the American newspaper, The Wall Street Journal. The missile carries six sharp, elongated blades reminiscent of the famous «Ginsu» knives instead of the typical warhead found in similar missiles. Upon launch, these blades are released, shredding the target within seconds and without exploding. Hence, it has been termed by many as the «Silent Assassin,» allowing military leaders to reduce the likelihood of civilian casualties without noise. The missile is approximately 150 centimeters long and weighs about 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of dense material, in addition to the six blades, which suffice to eliminate anyone within their flight range with a 100% success rate.
The «R9X» missile is considered one of the variations of the «Hellfire» produced by Lockheed Martin, the leading American defense and aerospace company. It is used against specified human targets in trenches, caves, tunnels, residential apartments, vehicles, and more. This variation was secretly deployed in 2017. In September 2020, U.S. officials estimated its multiple uses in combat, enhancing its role subsequently. It has been utilized in the precise assassination of several prominent terrorist figures.
It is worth noting that the missile entered service during the tenure of former President Barack Obama, who aimed to avoid civilian deaths resulting from airstrikes carried out by American aircraft in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. These missiles represent advanced technological models and unique military capabilities, constituting a crucial part of the defensive capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The development of the «Ninja» missiles was part of the military research and development program of the U.S. Air Force over several stages, witnessing continuous improvements in performance and capabilities, especially in remote sensing, autonomous guidance, and the ability to assault multiple targets. The radar system used in these missiles has been developed to achieve high precision in target recognition and effective tracking.
Successful Targeting
The «Ninja» missile is among the latest American weapons described as extremely precise in striking specific targets. It is distinguished by its stealth and maneuverability without emitting any sound, hence it is widely relied upon to deliver powerful strikes for assassinating terrorist heads and targeting leadership within dangerous terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda, Daesh, Al-Shabaab, and others. On July 31, 2022, via an airstrike using drones armed with «Ninja» missiles (AGM-114R9X), the U.S. forces managed to assassinate Al-Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri with two missiles while he was standing on a balcony of his house in the Sherpur neighborhood in Kabul, without notable civilian losses.
In June 2020, an American drone killed leaders of the Tanzim Hurras al-Din (Guardians of Religion Organization) which is a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda in an airstrike on the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria. The drone targeted their car with «Ninja Swords» missiles, resulting in the death of the general military officer of the terrorist organization, «Qasim al-Urdoni,» and another military commander of Yemeni nationality named «Bilal al-Sanaani».
On December 3, 2019, U.S. forces also targeted terrorist elements with «Ninja Swords» missiles using a drone on the outskirts of the city of «Al-Bab» in eastern Aleppo in Syria, killing two terrorists, Fayez al-Akal, known as Abu Saad al-Shamali, notorious as the governor of Raqqa in Daesh, and the other being his brother.
Additionally, in December 2019, the missile appeared in Yemen, displaying its distinct features, and killed the terrorist Jamal al-Badawi, a leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization, targeted without explosion. He was accused of being the mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing in 2000. Moreover, in 2017, the missile was used to assassinate the leader of Al-Qaeda, Abu Khair Al-Masri, in the Idlib countryside, although the specific missile used to destroy the target without explosion was not identified at that time.
The purpose of using this type of smart weapons with its six blades instead of an explosive warhead and its precise and direct targeting is to reduce unintended human losses resulting from other standard missiles that explode, causing collateral damage. Another reason for using precise weaponry is to adapt to terrorists hiding among civilians, obstructing air strikes targeting them.
Exceptional Capabilities
The «Hellfire AGM-114R9X» missiles are a modified version of the original «Hellfire» missile that entered military service in 1994 as both «surface-to-surface» and «air-to-surface» missiles. Initially developed as anti-tank missiles, they were launched from helicopters and were guided using laser designation, especially employing the «Fire and Forget» system, allowing laser guidance to determine the target.
The «Ninja» missiles operate autonomously post-launch without human intervention, modified to be multi-purpose and officially approved for drone use. Generally designed to eliminate targets while minimizing damage in the surrounding area, they boast several exceptional capabilities:
Laser Guidance: The missiles home in on the target using laser beams, enhancing precision and control over the strike.
Reduced Collateral Damage: Equipped with a non-explosive warhead, their blades penetrate targets precisely, minimizing unintended damage. Each missile can penetrate over 100 pounds of metal, vehicles, and buildings to hit the target without indirect harm to individuals and nearby properties.
High Precision: The «Ninja» missile achieves an exceptional level of precision, increasing its effectiveness while reducing civilian casualties.
High Speed: Surpassing the speed of sound, these missiles can rapidly reach and destroy targets. They utilize hypersonic transition technology, allowing them to move at high speeds, evading potential air defense systems to strike their targets like a steel mass falling from the sky.
Multi-Purpose Use: The «Hellfire AGM-114R9X» missiles can be used in various military missions and crucial military plans, including:
Counterterrorism Strikes: Targeting specific terrorist threats, they strike definite terrorist targets with high precision while reducing collateral risks.
Fixed Targeting: Such as buildings or military facilities; their high precision and destructive capability make them effective in neutralizing stationary threats.
Moving Threats: Like vehicles or military convoys; the high precision of these missiles enables successful strikes on moving threats.
Close Air Support: The «Ninja» missiles provide close air support for ground forces during combat operations, destructing enemy targets and providing aerial cover for advancing army units.
Naval Support: Protecting ships and naval bases, they can also be used to target fast boats or enemy vessels, reducing maritime risks and threats.
Conclusion
The American «Ninja» missiles represent a qualitative leap in military technology, combining advanced techniques and exceptional military capabilities. They have become a crucial tool in counterterrorism efforts and the success of modern military operations, providing unparalleled precision and effectiveness in dealing with modern technologies.
Based on previous operational experiences in carrying out global terrorism assassinations, the AGM-114R9X Hellfire missiles have made significant progress in precise targeting capabilities, laser guidance technology, collateral damage reduction, high precision, and multi-purpose use, making them invaluable assets. As these missiles continue to evolve, they are likely to play a vital role in enhancing military effectiveness and reducing civilian casualties. The accuracy of intelligence information about the locations of terrorist targets is crucial for the success of such missile systems.
On this basis, this smart missile stands as an important and effective solution, significantly advancing operational superiority for counterterrorism forces, particularly in their war against elements using women and children as human shields when intelligence is precise. Nonetheless, we need to accurately investigate its impact and practical functions in battle scenarios, and the extent that this «discovery» could represent in wars against terrorist elements and non-state formations.