The Javelin, displayed here at Aero India 2023 held in Bangalore, is a medium-range, manportable, shoulder-fired, fire-and-forget, lock-on before launch (LOBL) ATGM system. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)
The US Department of State has approved the possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of Javelin FGM-148F anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and related equipment to the Australian government for an estimated cost of USD60.18 million.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 7 March that Canberra has requested to buy 255 such Javelins, including five fly-to-buy missiles, along with US government technical assistance and other related elements of logistics and programme support.
The DSCA said it had notified Congress of the possible sale of anti-tank systems. “The proposed sale will improve the Australian Army's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining and increasing its anti-armour capability. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” the DSCA added.
The prime contractors in the deal will be the Javelin Joint Venture between Lockheed Martin, Orlando, and Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson. According to the DSCA, the proposed sale is vital to the US national interest to assist Australia in developing and maintaining a strong self-defence capability.
“Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region,” the DSCA said.
According to Janes Weapons: Infantry, the Javelin is a medium-range, manportable, shoulder-fired, fire-and-forget, lock-on before launch (LOBL) ATGM system. The Javelin features three sighting systems – the day sight, the night-vision sight (NVS), and the missile seeker.
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