PARIS, 13 June 2009. Engineers at Raytheon Company are testing key components to be used in the AGM-65E2, the newest variant of the U.S. Air Force's laser-guided Maverick missile.

The laser-guided Maverick missile is a direct-attack, air-to-ground precision munition used extensively by the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps in ongoing combat operations.

The newest variant of the missile, the AGM-65E2, will have an enhanced-laser seeker and new software, reducing the risk of collateral damage and enabling aircraft to use onboard lasers to designate a target.

"In my opinion, the warfighter needs this weapon, because it is ideally suited for urban combat and high-speed maneuvering targets," says Col. Michael Holbert, commander of the U.S. Air Force's 84th Combat Sustainment Wing. "We look forward to putting this very capable weapon into the hands of U.S. warfighters and also into the hands of our international partners."

The AGM-65 Maverick family of precision-attack missiles is used by the air, naval, and marine forces of 33 countries. More than 69,000 missiles have been produced to date, and more than 6,000 have been used in combat with a 93 percent kill rate.