The US Army has ordered a record batch of Javelin missiles
30 August, 2024 Javelin ATGM missile launch. Photo from open sources The United States Army has signed a contract for the production of Javelin anti-tank missiles and associated equipment and services worth £1.3 billion.
This was reported by the press service of the American defense company Lockheed Martin. The order for the production of missiles in fiscal year 2024 was received by the joint venture of RTX (Raytheon) and Lockheed Martin - Javelin Joint Venture. This contract will be Javelin's largest single order to date.
This agreement is part of a contract for the indefinite production of an indefinite number of missiles, which was signed in May last year. This contract also provides for the delivery of more than 4,000 Javelins to replenish U.S. stockpiles to replace the anti-tank missiles of this type sent to Ukraine.
Javelin ATGM missile launch. Photo from open sources
Currently, the manufacturer has more than 25 international customers worldwide, including a new customer, Kosovo, which in January this year received approval from the U.S.
State Department to purchase 246 Javelin missiles and 24 Lightweight Launchers and related equipment.
Javelin ATGM production. April 2022. Photo credits: Reuters
Recently, the United States also approved the possible sale of 350 FGM-148F missiles for the Javelin anti-tank systems and associated equipment and supplies to the Australian Armed Forces at an estimated cost of £100 million.
In total, more than 50,000 Javelin missiles and more than 12,000 reusable command launchers have been produced to date.
Javelin
Operator of the Javelin ATGM of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Photo credits: AFU
The Javelin ATGM is a third-generation man-portable anti-tank missile system manufactured by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
It belongs to the "fire and forget" weapon systems.
Javelin ATGM with LWCLU
The FGM-148 missile has a thermal homing head, so the missile system operator does not need to monitor and correct the missile's flight after launch, it does it independently.
The system is designed to destroy armored vehicles and can also engage air targets at low altitude (helicopters and UAVs).
The Javelin production at Lockheed Martin. April 2022. Photo credits: Reuters
FGM-148F missiles began to be actively produced in May 2020.
They are equipped with an advanced multi-purpose warhead, including a tandem high explosive charge designed to penetrate current and future armor of combat vehicles, including those with raective armor, and have a fragmented metal body to increase the effectiveness of destruction of manpower and light vehicles by creating fragments.