The LOAL Maverick flight missions, conducted by the 46th Test Wing's 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., successfully evaluated the functionality and utility of the newest Maverick variant, which significantly expands the missile's capabilities and opportunities for use against stationary and moving targets.

The program is managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions and Air Vehicles Directorates and sponsored by Air Combat Command's Requirements Directorate.

"By successfully integrating a digital weapon data link, Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System and a UHF network data link radio, we offer the warfighter true plug-and-play integration," said Chuck Pinney, Maverick program director at Raytheon.

"The LOAL Maverick utility evaluation program demonstrated the feasibility of using existing technology and the operational awareness data link network to significantly enhance the aircrew's situation awareness."

Implementing a command and video digital data link in the LOAL Maverick provides man-in-the-loop end-game control for precise attacks through and/or under weather against pre-planned fixed targets, stationary targets of opportunity and moving or relocatable targets. Missile launches are possible at significantly greater standoff ranges and altitudes, without requiring pilot line-of-sight to the target and ensuring compliance with today's employment rules of engagement.

The concept also incorporates a network data link radio, which enables real-time target updates and machine-to-machine targeting from existing tactical networks. This feature of the net centric weapons concept enables attacks against moving/relocated targets, provides situational-awareness depiction of friendly forces and zones of exclusion, and provides endgame bomb hit indication imagery feedback to the command and control (C2) network.

Additionally, all aircraft that are Maverick-capable today are capable of employing LOAL Mavericks without revisions to the aircrafts' operational flight programs and without aircraft modifications.

Maverick is a precision, air-to-ground missile that is used against small, hard targets; armored vehicles; surface-to-air missile sites; and high-value targets such as ships, port facilities and communications centers. The missile has launch-and-leave capability to enable the pilot to lock onto the target, launch the Maverick and then take evasive action.

Work on the LOAL Maverick utility evaluation program occurred primarily at Raytheon's Missile Systems business in Tucson, Ariz., with key subsystems produced by Tadiran Spectralink, Holon, Israel (command and video digital data link); Raytheon Precision Guidance Systems, El Segundo, Calif. (GPS-aided inertial navigation systems); Raytheon Network Centric Systems, Fullerton, Calif. (UHF network data link radio); and EDO M Tech, Huntingdon Valley, Pa. (LOAL launcher electronics assembly).

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