Editing AGM-65 Maverick (section)

==Development==
The Maverick's development history began in 1965, when the [[United States Air Force]] (USAF) began a program to develop a replacement to the [[AGM-12 Bullpup]].<ref name="Clancy_p163">{{harvnb|Clancy|1995|p=163}}</ref> With a range of {{convert|16.3|km|nmi|abbr=on|order=flip}}, the radio-guided Bullpup was introduced in 1959 and was considered a "silver bullet" by operators. However, the launch aircraft was required to fly straight towards the target during the missile's flight instead of performing evasive maneuvers, thus endangering itself.<ref name=Clancy_p163/> Even when it hit, the small {{convert|250|lbs|abbr=on}} warhead was only useful against small targets like bunkers; when used against larger targets like the [[Thanh Hóa Bridge]] it did little more than char the structure.<ref>{{cite book |first=Benjamin |last=Lambeth |title=The Transformation of American Air Power |url=https://archive.org/details/transformationof00lamb |url-access=registration |date=2000 |publisher=Cornell University Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/transformationof00lamb/page/39 39] |isbn=0-8014-3816-0}}</ref> The USAF began a series of projects to replace Bullpup, both larger versions of Bullpup, models C and D, as well as a series of Bullpup adaptations offering fire-and-forget guidance. Among the latter were the [[AGM-83 Bulldog]], [[AGM-79 Blue Eye]] and [[AGM-80 Viper]].

From 1966 to 1968, [[Hughes Aircraft|Hughes Missile Systems Division]] and [[Rockwell International|Rockwell]] competed for the contract to build an entirely new fire-and-forget missile with far greater range performance than any of the Bullpup versions. Each were allocated $3&nbsp;million for preliminary design and engineering work of the Maverick in 1966.<ref name=FI_AGM/> In 1968, Hughes emerged with the $95&nbsp;million contract for further development and testing of the missile; at the same time, contract options called for 17,000 missiles to be procured.<ref name=FI_AGM/> Hughes conducted a smooth development of the AGM-65 Maverick, with the first unguided test launch from an [[F-4]] on 18 September 1969,<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%202966.html |title=Maverick Under Control |journal=Flight International |date=9 October 1969 |page=582 |access-date=22 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925084022/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%202966.html |archive-date=25 September 2015 }}</ref> with the first guided test on 18 December successfully performing a direct hit on a [[M41 Walker Bulldog|M41 tank]] target at the [[Air Force Missile Development Center]] at [[Holloman Air Force Base]], [[New Mexico]].<ref name=FI_AGM/>

In July 1971, the USAF and Hughes signed a $69.9&nbsp;million contract for 2,000 missiles,<ref name=FI_AGM/> the first of which was delivered in 1972.<ref name=Clancy_p163/> Although early operational results were favorable, military planners predicted that the Maverick would fare less successfully in the hazy conditions of [[Central Europe]], where it would have been used against [[Warsaw Pact]] forces.<ref name="Clancy_p164">{{harvnb|Clancy|1995|p=164}}</ref> As such, development of the AGM-65B "Scene Magnified" version began in 1975 before it was delivered during the late 1970s. When production of the AGM-65A/B was ended in 1978, more than 35,000 missiles had been built.<ref name=ds/>

{{Image frame|width=200|content=[[File:AGM-65 M-48 pre impact.jpg|220px]]<br />[[File:AGM-65 M-48 post impact.jpg|220px]]|caption=An AGM-65 test-fired against an [[M48 Patton|M48]] tank (1978)}}
More versions of the Maverick appeared, among which was the [[Laser guidance|laser-guided]] AGM-65C/E. Development of the AGM-65C started in 1978 by Rockwell, who built a number of development missiles for the USAF.<ref name=ds/><ref name=Clancy_p164/> Due to high cost, the version was not procured by the USAF, and instead entered service with the [[United States Marine Corps]] (USMC) as the AGM-65E.<ref name=ds/><ref name=Clancy_p164/>

Another major development was the AGM-65D, which employed an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker. By imaging on radiated heat, the IIR is all-weather operable as well as showing improved performance in acquiring and tracking the hot engines, such as in tanks and trucks, that were to be one of its major missions.<ref name=ds/> The seekerhead mechanically scanned the scene over a nitrogen-cooled 4-by-4 pixel array using a series of mirrored facets machined into the inner surface of the ring-shaped main gyroscope.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}} The five-year development period of the AGM-65D started in 1977 and ended with the first delivery to the USAF in October 1983.<ref name=ds/> The version received [[initial operating capability]] in February 1986.<ref name=Factsheet/>

The AGM-65F is a hybrid Maverick combining the AGM-65D's IIR seeker with the warhead and propulsion components of the AGM-65E.<ref name=ds/> Deployed by the [[United States Navy]] (USN), the AGM-65F is optimized for maritime strike roles.<ref name=ds/> The first AGM-65F launch from the [[Lockheed P-3 Orion|P-3C]] took place in 1989, and in 1994, the USN awarded [[Unisys]] a contract to integrate the version with the P-3C.<ref name=PDF_2001/><ref name=Friedman_p562/> Meanwhile, Hughes produced the AGM-65G, which essentially has the same guidance system as the D, with some software modifications that track larger targets.<ref name=Factsheet/>

In the mid-1990s to early 2000s, there were several ideas for enhancing the Maverick's potential. Among them was the stillborn plan to incorporate the Maverick [[Extremely high frequency|millimeter wave]] [[active radar homing]], which can determine the exact shape of a target.<ref name="Clancy_p166">{{harvnb|Clancy|1995|p=166}}</ref> Another study called "Longhorn Project"<ref name=Clancy_p166/> was conducted by Hughes, and later Raytheon following the absorption of Hughes into Raytheon, looked into a Maverick version equipped with [[turbojet]] engines instead of rocket motors. The "Maverick ER", as it was dubbed, would have a "significant increase in range" compared to the Maverick's current range of {{Convert|25|km|mi}}.<ref name="TurboMav">{{cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2002/2002%20-%201286.html |title=Raytheon considers turbojet as part of Maverick missile upgrade package |last=Lewis |first=Paul |date=30 April – 6 May 2002 |access-date=21 December 2011  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408220533/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2002/2002%20-%201286.html |archive-date=8 April 2014}}</ref> The proposal was abandoned, but if the Maverick ER had entered production, it would have replaced the [[Penguin (missile)|AGM-119B Penguin]] carried on the [[Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk|MH-60R]].<ref name=TurboMav/>

The most modern versions of the Maverick are the AGM-65H/K, which were in production {{as of|2007|lc=y}}.<ref name=Factsheet/> The AGM-65H was developed by coupling the AGM-65B with a [[charge-coupled device]] (CCD) seeker optimized for desert operations and which has three times the range of the original TV-sensor;<ref name=ds/><ref name=TurboMav/> a parallel USN program aimed at rebuilding AGM-65Fs with newer CCD seekers resulted in the AGM-65J.<ref name=ds/> The AGM-65K, meanwhile, was developed by replacing the AGM-65G's IR guidance system with an electro-optical television guidance system.<ref name=Factsheet/>