Poland looks to receive new Javelin anti-tank guided missiles to step up military deterrence and combat Russia’s growing strategic control in the region.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Poland has been cleared to buy Javelin missile system.
The Government of Poland has requested to buy one 180 Javelin missiles and 79 Javelin Command Launch Units (CLUs). Also included are Basic Skill Trainers (BST), Missile Simulation Rounds (MSR), Battery Coolant Units (BCU), tool kits, modified 2-level maintenance parts, training, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, transportation and other related elements of logistics support. The total estimated program cost is $100 million.
The prime contractors will be Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture, Orlando, Florida and Tucson, Arizona.
“This proposed sale of the Javelin system will help Poland build its long-term defense capacity to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to meet its national defense requirements,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in its announcement. ” Poland will have no difficulty absorbing this system into its armed forces.”
Javelin is an anti-tank guided munition that can be carried and launched by a single person. It is made by the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon Company and Lockheed Martin.
Javelin provides the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and numerous international customers with a medium-range, “fire-and-forget” missile for use against a wide array of targets including armored vehicles, bunkers and caves. The system’s Command Launch Unit, or sight, performs surveillance, allowing a gunner to see the targets.
The weapon can be deployed from multiple platforms and used during the day, at night and in any kind of weather. The program has also demonstrated that Javelin can be fired from a remote launcher mounted on an unmanned ground vehicle.
Javelin has been used in Afghanistan and Iraq in more than 5,000 engagements. The system is scheduled to be in inventory until 2050.