Working as joint-venture partners, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have drawn a $1.3-billion U.S. Army contract to produce Javelin® missiles plus associated equipment. This follow-on to a May 2023 indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract is described as the largest single-year production order in the three-decade history of the Javelin system
The Javelin is a shoulder-mounted anti-tank missile system that uses infrared guidance, allowing the operator to launch a weapon and seek cover. The “high-explosive anti-tank” (HEAT) warhead is effective against tanks as well as fortifications, and while it has become a less prominent part of U.S. defense weapons program, Javelin reportedly has been highly effective for Ukrainian forces combating Russian tanks in the ongoing conflict there.
The new contract will cover Javelin weapon systems and production support for the U.S. Army, which aims to receive 3,960 units annually by late 2026 under the Javelin All Up Round production started last year. However, according to the Javelin Joint Venture, the new contract also will provide more than 4,000 Javelins to replenish rounds sent to Ukraine.
The Javelin Joint Venture of Lockheed and Raytheon has been produced by the missiles since 1994 – by Raytheon in Tucson, Ariz., and by Lockheed in Orlando, Fla.
Also last year, JJV started manufacturing the missiles in Poland too, under the direction of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa. PGZ is a state-owned holding company of defense manufacturing businesses.
“Now more than ever, Javelin is recognized as the most effective, combat-proven anti-armor weapon system in the world,” stated JJV president Andy Amaro, who is also the Javelin program director at Raytheon. “Through this contract, we will continue to produce and deliver this needed capability to support global ground forces in their efforts to protect and defend their interests and sovereignty.”
