# AGM-65 Maverick
The **AGM-65 Maverick** (小牛 in Chinese-language usage) is a tactical air-to-surface guided missile used by the [United States Air Force](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-air-force), Navy and Marine Corps for close air support, interdiction and defense suppression, effective against armor, air defenses, ships, transportation equipment, and fuel storage.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) The TV- and infrared-guided variants are fire-and-forget: after launch, their seekers guide them to the target without further pilot input.[2](https://www.army.mil/article/13153/maverick_missile_system_work_increasing) First accepted by the Air Force in August 1972, it has more than 75,000 built and integration on more than 25 aircraft types in over 33 nations.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) • [3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html) • [4](https://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?item=1886)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role | Tactical air-to-surface guided missile for close air support, interdiction and defense suppression[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) |
| Guidance options | Electro-optical (TV) imaging, imaging infrared, or laser seeker; modular design[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) |
| Warheads | 125-pound shaped charge or 300-pound penetrator[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) |
| Launch weight | 462 lb (AGM-65B/H) to 804 lb (AGM-65F)[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) |
| Range | Targets from a few thousand feet to 13 nautical miles at medium altitude[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) |
| Production | More than 35,000 A/B models by 1978; more than 75,000 of all variants by about 1999[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html) |
| Unit cost | $17,000 to $110,000 depending on variant[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) |
| Operators | More than 33 nations; integrated on more than 25 aircraft[4](https://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?item=1886) |
## Development and variants
The Air Force accepted the first AGM-65A Maverick in August 1972 and purchased a total of 25,750 A and B models.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) The A model carried a television seeker, and development of the AGM-65B "Scene-Magnification Maverick" began in 1975, doubling the TV image resolution so smaller or more distant targets could be engaged.[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html) Production of the TV-guided A and B models ended in 1978 after more than 35,000 missiles had been built.[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html)
The imaging-infrared generation followed. The first AGM-65D was delivered in October 1983 with initial operational capability in February 1986, and AGM-65G deliveries began in 1989.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) The infrared program was difficult: it suffered cost overruns and reliability problems under a fixed-price incentive-fee research and development contract, and the unit cost of the IR Maverick appeared likely to reach $100,000.[5](https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0383maverick/)
The laser-guided AGM-65E and the naval AGM-65F extended the family, and K and H models were in later production, the K developed from a G model by replacing infrared guidance with electro-optical television guidance.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) In 2011 the Air Force completed developmental testing of the AGM-65 E2/L, which has an enhanced laser seeker and new software enabling onboard, buddy- and ground-based laser designation of targets, reducing the risk of collateral damage; integration and flight tests were conducted on the A-10, F-16, AV-8B, and F/A-18.[4](https://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?item=1886)
## Design and guidance
The Maverick is modular. Three seeker options, electro-optical imaging, imaging infrared, or a laser guidance package, and two warheads mount on a common solid-rocket motor propulsion section.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) The TV and infrared seekers are fire-and-forget. The laser variant homes automatically on coded laser energy reflecting from the target after launch, with the designator possibly being a ground device, either hand-held or tripod mounted.[6](https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/navy/ntsp/agm-65-d_2002.pdf) All versions can track a moving target, but the laser version became the weapon of choice for all the services when pinpoint accuracy is needed.[2](https://www.army.mil/article/13153/maverick_missile_system_work_increasing)
The two warheads serve different target sets: a 125-pound shaped-charge warhead fired by a nose contact fuse, or a 300-pound penetrator.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) In metric designations these are the 57 kg WDU-20/B shaped charge for the A/B models and the 136 kg WDU-24/B penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead for the E/F/G, with propulsion by Thiokol solid-fuel rocket motors.[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html)
The missile has launch-and-leave capability and can hit targets from a few thousand feet to 13 nautical miles at medium altitude.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) As many as six Mavericks can be carried by an aircraft, usually in three-round underwing clusters, allowing a pilot to engage several targets on one mission.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) Missiles are fired from single-rail LAU-117/A or triple-rail LAU-88/A launchers, and the main US platforms are the A-10, F-15E, F-16, and F/A-18.[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html)
The seeker choice involves a weather trade-off. The infrared seeker of the AGM-65D had problems in Operation Desert Storm because of thermal clutter in desert heat, which prompted development of a CCD television seeker with higher reliability, better lock-on range and low-light performance, though the CCD seeker is not suitable for night use.[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html)
## By the numbers
Launch weights span the family from 462 pounds for the AGM-65B/H and 485 pounds for the D, through 670 pounds for the G and 777 pounds for the E, to 804 pounds for the naval F and 793 pounds for the K.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) The missile is 2.49 m (98 in) long with a 71.9 cm wingspan and 30.5 cm diameter, flies supersonic.[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html)
Unit cost ranged from $17,000 to $110,000 depending on variant according to the Air Force fact sheet.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) A specialist Australian account gives a higher ceiling, about US$17,000 for the AGM-65A rising to roughly US$152,000 for the more complex E and F versions.[7](https://www.navalofficer.com.au/maverick/) Production of new-built missiles ended around 1999 after more than 75,000 had been built including foreign customers.[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html)
## Operational history
The TV-guided A model entered use in 1973 and was among the first "smart" missiles to change air-to-ground warfare. By 1983, 100 Mavericks had been launched in combat, most of them by the Israelis, with 87 direct hits.[5](https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0383maverick/)
Desert Storm (1991) was the missile's largest employment: more than 5,000 AGM-65 A/B/D/E/F/Gs were used, mainly attacking armored targets.[1](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/) [Performance](https://www.edgepedia.org/performance) reporting differs by source and service. Designation-systems.net reports that more than 5,000 AGM-65B/D/G missiles were launched, mainly by A-10A aircraft, with a hit rate reported between 80 and 90 percent, while USMC AGM-65E firings had a reported hit rate of about 60 percent.[3](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html) Raytheon claimed that of 5,300 Mavericks launched, no less than 92 percent recorded a successful hit, against the USMC's 60 percent rate.[7](https://www.navalofficer.com.au/maverick/)
## How it compares
The Maverick's accuracy reshaped close-air-support economics. One study cited in 1983 found the probability of hitting a tank with an iron bomb was less than four percent, and with a nonprecision guided munition twenty-eight percent, against the Maverick's guided accuracy.[5](https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0383maverick/)
Against the AGM-119 Penguin, an anti-ship missile then in Australian service, the Maverick is lighter (210 to 304 versus 385 kg), has a shorter maximum range (roughly 13 versus 25 nautical miles) and a smaller warhead (57 versus 120 kg).[7](https://www.navalofficer.com.au/maverick/)
## Operators
The Maverick is carried by aircraft of the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and 32 other countries, and it is the chosen anti-shipping weapon for New Zealand's SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters and the [Royal Australian Air Force](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-australian-air-force)'s P-3 Orions.[7](https://www.navalofficer.com.au/maverick/) Raytheon states the family is integrated on more than 25 aircraft and in the inventory of more than 33 nations.[4](https://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?item=1886)
## References
1. [AGM-65 Maverick Fact Sheet, US Air Force](https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104577/agm-65-maverick/)
2. [Maverick missile system work increasing, US Army](https://www.army.mil/article/13153/maverick_missile_system_work_increasing)
3. [Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick, designation-systems.net](https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-65.html)
4. [US Air Force Completes Developmental Testing of Raytheon Laser-Guided Maverick, Raytheon (2011)](https://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?item=1886)
5. [The Many Battles of Maverick, Air & Space Forces Magazine (1983)](https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0383maverick/)
6. [AGM-65 Maverick Missile, Navy Tactical Technical Publication NTSP (2002), via GlobalSecurity.org](https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/navy/ntsp/agm-65-d_2002.pdf)
7. [Maverick AGM-65, Naval Officers Association of Australia](https://www.navalofficer.com.au/maverick/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Engineering and manufacturing › Missiles and rocketry › Anti-tank and ground-attack weapons*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license