PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md., 22 Sept. 2014. Missile designers at the Raytheon Co. are advance versions of the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile by replacing almost old optical TV-guided seekers with late-model precision-guided laser sensors.
Officials of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., appear a $49.5 actor arrangement to the Raytheon Missile Systems articulation in Tucson, Ariz., to catechumen 500 GM-65A/B advice ascendancy sections to an AGM-65E2 configuration.
The Maverick air-to-surface missile is one of the best broadly produced attention ammunition in the world, and has been in use as far aback as the Vietnam war in the 1970s. The aircraft-launched missile is advised for use adjoin armored vehicles, air defenses, apparent ships, arena transportation, ammunition accumulator facilities, and agnate targets.
Related: Raytheon to architecture laser advice and ascendancy area of laser-guided Maverick air-to-ground missile
The aboriginal archetypal AGM-65A/B use electro-optical television advice systems. The AGM-65E2 adaptation uses attention laser advice for use adjoin targets in cities and added densely busy areas with the abeyant for accessory damage. This adaptation additionally is advised for use adjoin rapidly affective targets in burghal environments.
Raytheon completed testing of the latest laser-guided adaptation of the Maverick missile in aboriginal 2012. The missile can be accursed from Fleet and Marine Corps F/A-18C/D Hornet bang fighters, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter-bombers, AV-8B Harrier jump jets, and added appropriate aircraft.
AGM-65E2 is the U.S. Fleet and Marine Corps appellation for the laser-guided Maverick, while the Air Force designates laser-guided Maverick missiles as the AGM-65L.
Related: Raytheon procures genitalia for India's Ammunition Ascendancy Unit, enabling Indian Air Force Jaguar aircraft to apply avant-garde attention weapons
On the arrangement Raytheon will do the assignment in Tucson, Ariz.; Williamsport, Pa.; Orlando, Fla.; Ontario, Canada; Joplin, Mo.; and Grass Valley, Calif., and should be accomplished by January 2017.
For added advice acquaintance Raytheon Missile Systems online at www.raytheon.com, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
Title : Raytheon to advancement TV-guided Maverick air-to-ground missiles with the latest laser guidance
Description : PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md., 22 Sept. 2014. Missile designers at the Raytheon Co. are advance versions of the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground...