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Last updated: 02/09/2011*
Javelin is the world’s most versatile and lethal one-man-portable, anti-tank, guided munition and surveillance weapon system. It is made by the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon Company and Lockheed Martin. The first Javelins were deployed with U.S. Army units in 1996, and the weapon system has consistently proved its combat worthiness since.
Javelin is capable of destroying threats at ranges greater than 2,500 meters; the weapon easily provides the greatest lethality and lowest weight of any weapon in its class.
“The popularity of the Javelin Weapon System continues to grow with our international customers,” said Duane Gooden, program director of the Raytheon Javelin program and president of the Javelin Joint Venture. “The system’s lethality has been proven in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
“When international partners see Javelin’s effectiveness, they want to bring that capability back to their own country.”
Over the years, Javelin has been adopted by international armed forces around the world. It is currently fielded with the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps, but it has also been approved for foreign military sales to 12 nations, most recently France.
“The Javelin Joint Venture has a long and successful history of working with international customers’ indigenous industry and actively seeks opportunities for international industrial cooperation,” said Barry James, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of the Javelin Joint Venture.
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Indian soldiers fired Javelin missiles for the first time in October 2009 when troops from the U.S. Army’s 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, were deployed to India for the bilateral exercise Yudh Abhyas. Using the Javelin Weapon System, U.S. and Indian gunners fired nine missiles with nine successful engagements.
The ease of use and limited training required to use the Javelin makes almost every soldier in the unit a potential gunner. More than 2,000 missiles have been fired in combat by U.S. and coalition forces; the hit rate is greater than 95 percent.
“Javelin is user friendly, and it doesn’t take long before a soldier can expertly employ this weapon system,” said James. “Compared to more cumbersome man-portable weapon systems, the difference is significant.”
Javelin is not only easy to use; it is an exceptionally accurate missile. Its automatic guidance system guides the missile to the target selected by the gunner and, because of its “fire and forget” capability, the gunner can load another missile, acquire another target, and fire the Javelin before the first missile hits the original target. As the missile closes in on the target, the guidance system takes advantage of the close-in seeker view and tracker to position the intercept to best defeat the target.
“The guidance approach of Javelin provides a very high probability of hitting the target where it is vulnerable,” said Gooden. “Javelin’s accuracy, combined with its state-of-the-art warhead, provides unmatched lethality on the modern battlefield.”
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| U.S. Army fires Javelin during tests at Dugaway Proving Grounds in 2010. |
Javelin Joint Venture is committed to providing the U.S. Army and its international customers with life-cycle support, including depot spares, repair support, user training and data. By focusing on these customer needs throughout the product life cycle, the Joint Venture can reduce program costs and extend the life of the system.
At the end of the day, what makes the Javelin Joint Venture’s team members most proud is its reputation among users.
“Soldiers around the world believe in it,” said James. “Ask any soldier familiar with the weapon — it works.”
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