Javelin

The NATO-standard man-portable fire-and-forget top-attack anti-tank guided missile — a Raytheon–Lockheed Martin joint venture, the symbolic anti-armor weapon of the war in Ukraine, and the infantry ATGM fielded by more than 20 operators worldwide.

Overview

The FGM-148 Javelin is a man-portable, fire-and-forget, top-attack anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) developed and produced by a joint venture between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. It entered U.S. Army service in 1996 and is planned to remain operational through approximately 2050, according to CSIS Missile Threat. The system consists of a reusable Command Launch Unit (CLU) and a sealed disposable missile-round. Its imaging-infrared seeker locks onto the target before launch, allowing the operator to fire and immediately relocate — a decisive tactical advantage over wire-guided or laser-beam-riding ATGMs that require the gunner to remain exposed throughout the missile's flight. Javelin is the primary infantry anti-armor system of the United States and has been exported to more than 20 allied nations, including Australia, Estonia, Poland, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

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