TUCSON, Ariz., 3 April 2009. Raytheon Company won from the U.S. Air Force a contract to upgrade guidance and control sections for the air-to-ground Maverick missile.

"The military is employing laser-guided Mavericks against moving targets and in urban environments," says Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president of Air Warfare Systems. "This contract is a win for the warfighters, because it gives them a reliable combat-proven weapon they can take to war almost immediately."

The contract initiates engineering efforts required to restart the laser-guided Maverick production line and will incorporate state-of-the-artlaser-seeker technology, according to a company representative. The contract will result in the upgrade of up to 450 laser Maverick guidance sections for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.

Raytheon plans to deliver the first upgraded guidance sections to the U.S. Air Force in 20 to 24 months. The contract uses funds from a General Services Administration exchange program. The program provides the latest technology to the U.S. Air Force without affecting normal weapon procurement budgets.