Raytheon / Lockheed Martin FGM-148 Javelin

History of the Thor/Lockheed Martin FGM-148 Javelin

The Javelin system is classified as a "third-generation" anti-tank missile system with lethal tank-killing capabilities in the U.S. Army, among others. The third-generation classification implies a substantial improvement over the existing anti-tank kill systems previously deployed. After its introduction, the Javelin replaced the then-in-service M47 Dragon man-portable anti-tank missile platform.

The Javelin itself endured intense combat during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, and is often displayed in extreme combat conditions on the relentless battlefields of Afghanistan.

The Javelin evolved from the US Army's 1983 initiative known as the Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium (AAWS-M). The project gained momentum in 1985, and the proof-of-principle phase was launched the following year.

Various U.S. contractors were involved in their concept demonstrations, and by mid-1989 the winning contracts went to Texas Instruments and Martin Marietta. By 1991, the program had shifted to live-fire testing of the missiles involved. The U.S.

Army named the new weapon "FGM-148" and nicknamed it "Javelin." Finally, in 1993, the launcher was completed and tested with the Javelin missile. The results were acceptable, and the Javelin entered service with the U.S. Army in 1994, starting with low production.

Army units began receiving javelins in batches in 1996. Texas Instruments and Martin Marietta later became part of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, respectively, so the Javelin missile system is now tied to both contractors. Contractors that failed to advise the U.S.

Army during the AATWS-M program were Ford Aerospace and Hughes Missile Systems. Ford tried to sell a missile based on the principle of laser beam propulsion, while Hughes' attempt involved an infrared imaging system connected to a fiber optic cable.

The Javelin is operated by two specially trained personnel, and the entire system consists of the launcher and the missile itself, each crew member carrying a one-time command launch unit and launch tube assembly. U.S. Army personnel are trained for two weeks in the maintenance, cleaning, assembly, reassembly and operation of the Javelin system, primarily at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. The missile weighs about 26 pounds and the launcher or CLU (command launch unit) weighs 14.1 pounds. The missile is 43 inches long, while the launcher is 47 inches long.

The missile is 127 mm in diameter and has an effective range between 75 and 2,500 meters (minimum safe and engagement distance for this type of weapon). The missile carries an 18.5-pound warhead payload that includes a HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) tandem shaped charge suitable for deployment of the latest in vehicle protective armor. The explosion is by shock force and propulsion is by solid rocket motors.

Guidance is via imaging infrared (IIR). The stabilizer initially folds down when the missile is in the launcher and "jumps into" action after the missile is launched. The projectile maintains a streamlined shape with a smooth, almost blunt nose cone that accommodates the IR seeker. Behind the seeker is the guidance electronics, and behind it is the warhead. The propulsion is behind the folding wings (of which there are eight in total), and the wings themselves are aft on the midship side.

The control unit (also with folding wings - there are only four) is located at the rear of the missile system.

Target acquisition was achieved by using the thermal imaging component on the CLU. The missile locks onto the target before being released from the launcher. Guidance to the target is provided entirely by the missile itself, providing the operator with a true fire-and-forget experience.

This is in stark contrast to the old "wire-guided" missile system, which required the operator to keep the target in his crosshairs until hit. Thus, the Javelin Squad can track, lock onto, and fire the Javelin missile to an enemy target when the Javelin missile has moved to a new location, retreated or advancedall before the missile hits the target.

During launch, the rocket is ejected from the launcher and the rocket motor is only activated after leaving the crew. Combat objectives - whether airborne, stationary or on the ground and moving - can be accomplished with the Javelin system.

The operator can attack the target directly in line of sight or using the missile's guidance capabilities. This allows the Javelin team to attack low-flying helicopters, moving tanks or solid building structures with the same zeal.

Combat against flying targets and fortifications is accomplished using "direct attack" - essentially a point, aim and fire maneuver that does not require a missile system to lock onto.

The Javelin missile's warhead is designed to penetrate the latest "explosive reactive armor" used on tanks and armored personnel carriers around the world. Explosive reactive armor adds an extra layer of protection to the crew and critical systems such as engines and magazines, and sits on top of existing protective armor panels designed for each vehicle. However, missiles like the Javelin have a tandem shaped charge in their warhead (two shaped charges, one to detonate the explosive reactive armor and the other to penetrate the base armor it contains), trying to subtly Bypass this type of armor protection. In addition, the Javelin missile strikes its intended target from a higher angle than the old direct-attack line-guided anti-tank system.

This means that, just before reaching the target, the missile will "bounce" up to 500 feet in the air and attack the armored target from an upward angle. This angle is useful when attacking armored systems such as main battle tanks, as tanks usually have thin armor on the top panel.

Combining this angle of attack method with the concentrated two-stage explosive fire of the Javelin, the missile is a true penetrator for any vehicle on the modern battlefield.

The Javelin weapon system is designed to have a relatively low detonation profile (although a reverse detonation when fired is still dangerous to anyone near the rear of the launcher). This allows the Javelin to be fired into a variety of compact structures, such as buildings and bunkers, while producing a relatively small visible smoke signature when fired.

Combine this inherent safety with the range the Javelin brings to combat, and enemy war planners face a serious anti-tank threat.

Javelin maintains a full live presence in a portable package. Given the training the specialists received - even under fire - it was relatively easy and quick to build, and its reusability made it a formidable, repeatable anti-tank kill machine. The Javelin crew also carries fewer components than the anti-tank weapon systems previously used by the U.S. military. However, the launcher, electronics and rocket all come at a price - both physical and financial - with the entire system costing over nearly ?50, and the launcher and system costing over $165,000.

Each missile alone costs between $40,000 and $80,000, sources said.

A large number of operators have purchased javelin throwers, including Australia, Bahrain, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Jordan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and of course - the United States. Since Javelin launchers are reusable, it is understandable that the owner chooses to purchase more missiles than launchers, as was the case with Jordan's $388 million purchase deal, which included 162 launchers and 1,808 missiles.

The Javelin system is regularly used by UN forces across Afghanistan - including British, French, New Zealand and Czech troops. The Norwegian Army only started using the Javelin system in 2009.

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