The British Army has conducted its first successful live fire exercise utilizing the Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Unit (LWCLU) at an extended range. This 4km shot, marking a record distance for the LWCLU, conducted on Salisbury Plain, showcased its improved effectiveness on the battlefield.
Raytheon’s LWCLU is 30% more compact and 25% lighter than the existing Command Launch Unit, while achieving double the target detection and recognition capabilities. This system enhances surveillance for soldiers and provides engagement options for both day and night operations. Additionally, the LWCLU is versatile and works with all existing, previous, and forthcoming Javelin variants.
The United Kingdom, a significant partner in the Javelin programme, contributes components for production, which is projected to rise to 3,960 rounds per year by 2026 and 900 LWCLUs by 2030.
Victoria Thornhill, DE&S project manager for Javelin, said: “The new Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Unit’s extended range doubles lethality while improving capability, allowing our Armed forces to engage targets from further away.
“The UK Armed Forces are pioneers in firing the LWCLU out to the 4K range, making them the first in the Javelin international user group to conduct this activity.”
“This is a major achievement for the UK Javelin programme, delivering UK Armed Forces with a lighter, more capable anti-tank weapon that we will change the dynamics of battle.”
Andy Amaro, Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) president and Javelin program director at Raytheon, said: “Today’s test validates the advanced range and target detection capabilities LWCLU provides soldiers to expand the battlefield and distance them from incoming threats.”
“Partnering with the British Army on this extended range LWCLU live-fire allows us to further demonstrate the robust capability of the LWCLU and the Javelin missile.”
Dave Pantano, Javelin Joint Venture vice president and Lockheed Martin Javelin program director, said: “This live fire exercise showcases a significant first-time event for the JJV and demonstrates that Javelin continues to mature to defeat ever-evolving threats.”
“As the JJV continues to expand our international footprint, our partnership with the British Army allows us to collaborate on next-step efforts to support their current and future modernization efforts.”
The Javelin is a medium-range anti-tank guided weapon system. While its primary function is to neutralize tanks and light armoured vehicles, the Javelin also offers a formidable capability in all weather conditions, both day and night, against fixed fortifications such as bunkers and buildings.
The weapon features an integrated sight that enables the operator to identify, lock onto, and fire at a target, allowing for a ‘fire-and-forget’ capability. This allows the operator to engage another target or reposition immediately after launching the missile.
The Javelin supports both overfly and direct attack modes and is operated by a crew consisting of a firer and a controller/observer, with the latter responsible for weapon command, target identification, loading assistance, and battlefield damage assessment.
