The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-surface missile designed for close air support, interdiction, and defense suppression. It is death to a wide range of targets, including armour, air defenses, ships, ground transportation, and fuel storage facilities.

The AGM-65F (infrared targeting) used by the Navy has a larger (300 pound (136 kg) penetrating warhead vice the 125 pound (57 kg) shaped charge used by Marine and Air Force) and infrared guidance system optimized for ship tracking. The AGM-65 has two types of warheads, one with a contact fuse in the nose, the other a heavyweight warhead with a delayed fuse, which penetrates the target with its kinetic energy before firing. The latter is very effective against large, hard targets. The propulsion system for both types is a solid-rocket motor behind the warhead.

The AGM-65 missiles were employed by F-16s and A-10s during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 to attack armored targets. Mavericks played a large part in the destruction of Iraq's significant military force.

The Maverick is built by the Hughes Aircraft company in conjunction with the Raytheon company. It's rocket motor is a 2 stage solid fuel type. It has a number of different guidance packages to select from
1 Electro-optical models A, B
2 infrared imaging models D, G
3 laser guided model E
4 infrared homing model F.
With a range of 16.8 miles this missile possesses sufficient range to be a threat to any target as demonstrated in the Gulf War when it was used to smash Iraqi armour and support vehicals.