Successful Trials in Launching from TITAN UGV

JAVELIN’s significant end user base currently includes the US Army and US Marine Corps, US Special Operations Command components, which also have current applications in which they have effectively employed the system for their respective missions, and the armed services of 18 allied nations.

The weapon system is being delivered to this community by way of the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. Doug Borger, Business Development Analyst Principal at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, explained the company develops and manufactures the missile in its launch tube, known as the All-Up Round. “Raytheon develops and manufactures the Command Launch Unit and certain missile components. Both companies share in the marketing and customer support for the system.”

Significantly, the joint venture recently conducted a JAVELIN demonstration, in which they successfully fired missiles from a TITAN unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), built by QinetiQ North America and Milrem Robotics. The missiles were fired from a Kongsberg CROWS-JAVELIN launcher mounted on the UGV. “In its shoulder-fired configuration, which is how most of our customers utilize the missile system, JAVELIN offers true fire-and-forget engagement capability from up to 4km in most operating conditions. By integrating the missile with a UGV, we are demonstrating a wireless engagement capability that will help to displace the operator even farther from harm’s way,” explained Borger.

While JAVELIN has traditionally been used as a dismounted, man-portable weapon, it has also been integrated onto fixed platforms and vehicles. Mr Borger noted JAVELIN is in-service with the US Army as part of the Kongsberg Common Remotely-Operated Weapons Station (CROWS) on the STRYKER armoured vehicle. It can easily be mounted to any vehicle or platform that employs a remote weapon station. “The Joint Venture has also developed prototypes for turret-launched applications of JAVELIN, providing vehicles with new or additional precision strike, anti-armor capability.”

During 2020, the joint venture will continue production of the latest FGM-148F JAVELIN (F-Model) missile, which employs an innovative multi-purpose warhead and makes the missile even more effective against a wider array of targets, in addition to armoured vehicles. It is currently making enhancements to JAVELIN, which will be released as the FGM-148G (G-Model) configuration. “These enhancements, along with our development of a Light Weight Command Launch Unit, are designed to reduce unit cost and weight while improving range, lethality, and survivability against evolving threats. This configuration will be available to the US Army by 2022,” Mr Borger concluded.

Marty Kauchak