The 1970s-era Maverick air-to-ground missile has been in-demand in Southwest Asia to support Air Force close air support operations. So much so, that service officials recently asked whether Maverick-maker Raytheon could restart the line. Company officials at AFA’s Air & Space Conference this week said that the Tucson, Ariz. production line could be up and running again “in a matter of months.” John Nelson, the company’s missile systems spokesman, said senior Air Force leadership is going over the final arrangements and an official agreement is expected very soon. The plan is to keep most of the missile’s components as is, but update the infrared seeker on the warhead with newer technology, Nelson said.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
