AGM-65 Maverick

AGM-65 Maverick
Type	Air-to-surface missile
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	30 August 1972 – present[1]
Used by	>30 countries
Wars	Vietnam War Yom Kippur War Iran–Iraq War Persian Gulf War Kosovo War Iraq War First Libyan Civil War
Production history
Manufacturer	Raytheon Missile Systems Raytheon
Unit cost	US$17,000 to $110,000, depending on variant[1]
No. built	>70,000
Specifications
Mass	210–304 kg (462–670 lb)[2]
Length	249 cm (8 ft 2 in)[2]
Diameter	30 cm (12 in)[2]
Wingspan	710 mm (2 ft 4 in)[1]
Warhead	57 kg (126 lb) WDU-20/B shaped-charge (A/B/C/D/H models) 136 kg (300 lb) WDU-24/B penetrating blast-fragmentation (E/F/G/J/K models) E models utilize FMU-135/B delayed impact fuze[2]
Engine	A/B: Thiokol SR109-TC-1 D/E/F/G/H/J/K: SR114-TC-1 (or Aerojet SR115-AJ-1) solid propellant rocket motor via a WPU-4/B or WPU-8/B propulsion section[2]
Propellant	Solid propellant[1]
Operational range	Greater than 22 km (12 nmi)[3]
Maximum speed	1,150 km/h (620 kn)[3]
Guidance system	A/B/H/J/K:: Electro-optical guidance D/F/G: imaging infrared guidance E: Laser guidance[1][2]

The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) designed for close air support. It is the most widely produced precision-guided missile in the Western world,^[4] and is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation and fuel storage facilities.

Development began in 1966 at Hughes Aircraft Company as the first missile to use an electronic contrast seeker. It entered service with the United States Air Force in August 1972. Since then, it has been exported to more than 30 countries and is certified on 25 aircraft.^[5] The Maverick served during the Vietnam, Yom Kippur, Iran–Iraq, and Persian Gulf Wars, along with other smaller conflicts, destroying enemy forces and installations with varying degrees of success.

Since its introduction into service, numerous Maverick versions had been designed and produced using electro-optical, laser, and imaging infrared guidance systems. The AGM-65 has two types of warhead: one has a contact fuze in the nose, the other has a heavyweight warhead fitted with a delayed-action fuze, which penetrates the target with its kinetic energy before detonating. The missile is currently produced by Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

The Maverick shares the same configuration as Hughes' AIM-4 Falcon and AIM-54 Phoenix, and measures more than 2.4 m (8 ft) in length and 30 cm (12 in) in diameter.