Article Posted on : - Jul 30, 2014

Javelin missile being fired by a US soldier. A Raytheon photo

ORLANDO (BNS): The man-portable Javelin anti-tank missile has proved its capability of being fired from a vehicle-mounted remote weapon station in a recent test-firing jointly conducted by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

The test firing at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, was conducted for an international customer that has expressed interest in purchasing vehicles integrated with Javelin.

In the test launch, the 'fire-and-forget' missile hit a T-62 tank target from a range of 1,000 metres.

Immediately after the missile launch, the remote weapon station engaged an alternate target with its ballistic weapon, demonstrating a seamless Javelin integration that supports the warfighter's requirement to quickly transition between multiple weapon systems, Lockheed Martin said.

"This demonstration highlights the ability to mount Javelin on a vehicle," said Richard Benton, Javelin Joint Venture vice president and Javelin senior manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

"The international customer already uses the combat-proven Javelin for dismounted troops, but this test demonstrated the Javelin's versatility and how easily it can be integrated with the vehicle to enhance mission capability," the official added.

"This effort demonstrates the Javelin Joint Venture's commitment to expand Javelin's capability beyond the current man-portable role. We are working closely with end user customers and industry partners to provide the warfighter with an effective system for improving vehicle lethality and enhancing survivability," said Michelle Lohmeier, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Land Warfare Systems product line.

The lightweight compact Javelin missile is produced by Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon Company and Lockheed Martin and has been adopted by international armed forces around the world.

It is currently fielded with the US Army and US Marine Corps, and has also been approved for foreign military sales to 14 nations.