Article Posted on : - Feb 04, 2010

An AGM-65 Maverick being launched from an F-16 fighter. A Raytheon Photo

TUCSON (BNS): American defence firm Raytheon will produce AGM-65D and AGM-65G2 infrared-guided Maverick air-to-surface missiles for the United Arab Emirates.

The company has been awarded a $170 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract by the US Air Force to produce the missiles used by the air, naval and marine forces of 33 countries worldwide, Raytheon said.

The AGM-65 Maverick is a precision-attack missile system that operates on ‘fire and forget’ principle. It is powered by Thiokol TX-481 solid-propellant rocket motor.

The weapon can be launched from over 25 aircraft, including helicopters and fighter, attack and multiplace patrol aircraft.

It uses three seekers – television, infrared and laser and two different warheads. The missile’s guidance software provides round-the-clock attack capability against fixed high-value targets, high-speed moving and manoeuvring armoured vehicles, ships and fast boats.

The AGM-65D is an improvised version of AGM-65A and uses a better seeker technology. The AGM-65G2, based on an improved imaging infrared (IIR) Maverick AGM-65G, uses better software and seeker technology.

Raytheon has produced over 69,000 Maverick missiles to date of which more than 6,000 have been put in combat use.