In 1996, the FGM-148 Javelin was created, and the advanced anti-tank missile weapon system is still sought after almost three decades later. The Javelin is mostly a tank killer, however, they have multiple firing modes and can be used against a wide array of targets.
The Javelin was originally designed by Texas Instruments — known for their calculators — and Martin Marietta, now Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
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The anti-tank system made its combat debut in 2003 during the second Gulf War. It gained a renewed level of notoriety recently due to the war in Ukraine because of its “top attack,” which hits tanks from above, where they are most vulnerable.
One thing that makes the Javelin so effective is the fact that it is a “fire-and-forget” missile. This means the operator can sight the target, lock on and send it. An automatic self-guidance system does the rest.
“Javelins are actually really effective especially in the battlefield, especially in our profession,” said Spc. Matthew Cantero, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team. “Whether it be a light unit, or mechanized, we’re gonna come up against enemies that have heavy equipment, and that javelin is gonna turn the fight.”
The Javelin has an infrared seeker and two shaped charges. The first charge detonates any reactive armor and the second pierces the base layer of armor.
The lethality of the missile system made them useful to Ukrainian Armed Forces seeing high levels of Russian tanks and armored vehicles in the early days of the war. Out of the first 300 Javelins fired by Ukrainian troops, 280 tanks were knocked out of commission.
About two dozen countries currently use Javelins and another seven hope to add them to their inventory soon.
Access the full Weapons and Warfare episode here.
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[RYAN ROBERTSON]
TIME NOW FOR, ARGUABLY, OUR MOST POPULAR SEGMENT:
THE WEAPON OF THE WEEK…AND WE KNOW IT’S NOT A NEW WEAPON, FOLKS, BUT IT IS ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER.
OKAY, SO FOR FANS OF ANCIENT GREECE AND TRACK AND FIELD–THE JAVELIN THROW MAY BE ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE PAST TIMES.
SUPER PRODUCER FOR WEAPONS AND WARFARE, BRETT BAKER, FOUND OUT IT WASN’T ACTUALLY AN OLYMPIC GAME IN GREECE UNTIL 708 B.C. THOUGH
FAST FORWARD A FEW THOUSAND YEARS, AND JAVELINS ARE VERY DIFFERENT. IN 1996 THE NAME WAS GIVEN TO A NEW PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY. THAT WOULD BE THE FGM 148 JAVELIN OR THE ADVANCED ANTI-TANK WEAPON SYSTEM.
IN THE SIMPLEST TERMS, IT’S A TANK KILLER. BUT IT’S BEEN KNOWN TO TAKE AIM AT A BOAT OR TWO.
THE JAVELINS STARTED FIEL TESTING ALMOST THREE DECADES AGO. IT WAS DESIGNED BY TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, THAT’S RIGHT, THE CALCULATOR FOLKS, AND MARTIN AND MARIETTA. NOW KNOWN AS RAYTHEON SLASH RTX AND LOCKHEED MARTIN.
THE JAVELIN MADE IT’S COMBAT DEBUT IN 2003 IN THE SECOND GULF WAR. IT GAINED A RENEWED LEVEL OF NOTORIETY RECENTLY, IN THE UKRAINE WAR. THAT’S BECAUSE IT’S REALLY GOOD AT KILLING TANKS. SPECIFICALLY BY EMPLOYING A “TOP ATTACK”, HITTING THE TANKS FROM ABOVE, WHERE THE TANK IS MOST VULNERABLE.
SO WHAT MAKES THEM SO DEVASTATING?
CALLED A “FIRE AND FORGET” MISSILE, THE OPERATOR IS ABLE TO SIMPLY SIGHT THE TARGET, LOCK ON, AND SEND IT. AN AUTOMATIC SELF GUIDANCE SYSTEM DEALS DEATH FROM ABOVE
[Spc. Matthew Cantero]
“Javelins are actually really effective especially in the battlefield, especially in our profession. Whether it be a light unit, or mechanized, we’re gonna come up against enemies that have heavy equipment, and that javelin is gonna turn the fight”
[RYAN ROBERTSON]
EQUIPPED WITH AN INFRA-RED SEEKER AND ARMED WITH TWO SHAPED CHARGES, THE FIRST CHARGE DETONATES ANY REACTIVE ARMOR, WHILE THE SECOND PIERCES THE BASE LAYER OF ARMOR.
THAT LETHALITY MADE THEM ESPECIALLY USEFUL TO UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES FACING A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS PARADE OF RUSSIAN TANKS AND ARMORED VEHICLES IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WAR.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW EFFECTIVE JAVELINS ARE…AN ARTICLE FROM MARCH OF 2022 FROM WORLD NEWS REPORTED OF THE FIRST 300 JAVELINS FIRED BY UKRAINIAN TROOPS, 280 TANKS WERE KNOCKED OUT OF COMMISSION.
JAVELINS HAVE MULTIPLE FIRING MODES TOO…AND CAN BE USED AGAINST A WIDE ARRAY OF TARGETS, NOT JUST TANKS. BUILDINGS AND OTHER FIXED STRUCTURES ARE WELL WITHIN ITS WHEELHOUSE.
ABOUT TWO DOZEN COUNTRIES CURRENTLY USE JAVELINS. ANOTHER SEVEN HOPE TO ADD THEM TO THEIR INVENTORY SOON.
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