The Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) is pursuing co-assembly and co-production opportunities for the Javelin anti-tank weapon system in India. To achieve this, JJV is undertaking a competitive process to select Indian partners for collaboration.

JJV has renewed an MoU with BDL, an Indian state-owned company specializing in weapon production and system integration, to assess the feasibility of manufacturing Javelin in India. The initial agreement between JJV and BDL was signed in 2020.

Dave Pantano, JJV Vice President and Lockheed Martin Javelin Program Director, stated that discussions with potential Indian partners aim to establish long-term strategic partnerships to enhance India’s defence capabilities through local industry involvement. Andy Amaro, President of JJV and Raytheon’s Javelin Program Director, noted that increasing demand for Javelin presents an opportunity to support local defence manufacturing, providing India with a proven anti-armour weapon system while integrating domestic expertise.

The Javelin is a versatile, man-portable, fire-and-forget, medium-range anti-tank guided missile system designed to defeat all known and projected threat armour. It was developed by the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), a partnership between Raytheon (an RTX business) and Lockheed Martin. Over 55,000 Javelin missiles and more than 12,000 reusable Command Launch Units have been produced to date, and the system has been procured by 25 nations worldwide.

The gunner places a cursor over the selected target, and the command launch unit sends a lock-on-before-launch signal to the missile. The Javelin automatically guides itself to the target after launch, allowing the gunner to take cover and avoid counterfire.

The Javelin consists of a missile in a disposable launch tube assembly and a reusable Command Launch Unit (CLU). It can be safely fired from inside buildings or bunkers due to its soft launch design.

Javelin can be deployed from multiple platforms and used during the day, at night, and in any kind of weather. It is designed to defeat all known and projected threat armour.

It uses a tandem charge warhead to circumvent a tank's explosive reactive armour, and its high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead can defeat modern tanks by top-down attack, striking where the armour is weakest.

The Javelin has an effective range of 2.5 km.

The Javelin has been used in over 5,000 engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. Army awarded the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) a follow-on fiscal year 2024 production contract for Javelin missiles and associated equipment and services. The contract also includes more than 4,000 Javelins to replenish rounds sent to Ukraine.

To date, the JJV has produced over 55,000 Javelin missiles and 12,000 reusable Command Launch Units. The Javelin has been procured by 25 countries worldwide.

Local production of the Javelin is especially important considering ongoing tensions with China and Pakistan.

Lockheed Martin has been present in India for over 30 years. In 2008, it opened its India subsidiary in New Delhi. Lockheed Martin is aligned with various initiatives of the Government of India, like Make in India, Start-up India, and Skill India.

Agencies