Description
The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-surface tactical missile designed for close air support, interdiction, and defense suppression. It is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation, and fuel storage facilities.

Features
The AGM-65F (infrared targeting optimized for ship tracking.) is used on Navy P-3 aircraft and the AGM-65E (laser guided) is used on both the AV-8 and F/A-18 aircraft. The AGM-65A/B/D 125 pound (57 kg) shaped charge (electro-optical guided) is used by the Air Force F-16 and A-10 aircraft. The AGM-65 has two types of warheads, the anti-armor shaped charge with a point detonating base fuse and the other, a heavyweight warhead with a time-delayed fuse, which penetrates the target with its kinetic energy before firing. The latter is very effective against large, hard targets. The propulsion system for both types is a solid-rocket motor behind the warhead.

Background
More than 5,000 AGM-65 missiles were launched by Air Force F-16s and A-10s (mainly) and Marine Corps AV-8s during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Mavericks played a large part in the destruction of Iraq's significant military force. Additionally, all variants have been used during the most recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Service
Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force

General Characteristics
Primary Function: Air-to-surface guided missile; attack and destroy armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation, and fuel installations.
Contractor: Raytheon Co.
Date Deployed: August 1972
Unit Cost: $180,000
Propulsion: Thiokol SR 109-TC-1 solid-propellant rocket motor; Thiokol SR 114-TC-1 (or Aerojet SR 115-AJ-1) solid-propellant rocket motor
Length: 98 inches
Diameter: 12 inches
Wingspan: 28 inches
Weight: 462 670 pounds, depending upon model
Speed: Supersonic
Range: 17 nautical miles
Guidance System: Electro-optical (TV) in A and B models; imaging infrared (IIR) in D, F and G models; laser guided in the E model.
Warhead: 300-pound penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead; 125-pound shaped-charge