Raytheon announced that it has formally restarted production of the laser-guided variant of its AGM-65 Maverick direct-attack air-to-ground missile after more than two decades of dormancy. Manufacture of the new Laser Maverick began following a rigorous Air Force-Navy testing program that culminated in a $25 million contract from the Air Force in December for production, according to the company. The Air Force expects to take delivery of its first new-build AGM-65L—the service’s designation for the missile—in late 2012. The Navy and Marine Corps designate the new Laser Maverick the AGM-65E2. During developmental and operational testing, AV-8Bs, A-10s, F-16s, and F/A-18s fired a total of 15 Laser Mavericks at stationary targets and moving objects, some of which were traveling in excess of 70 miles per hour, said Raytheon.
30 Years After Desert Storm: Jan. 27
Jan. 26, 2021
In commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, Air Force Magazine is posting daily recollections from the six-week war, which expelled Iraq from occupied Kuwait.