Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has dominated the headlines since it began on Feb. 24. Ukrainian resistance has proven much tougher than either the Russians or the wider international community expected. One crucial factor aiding Ukrainian resistance has been the military equipment it has received from the United States and its allies. Arguably the most significant component of this assistance is the FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile system.
First introduced in 1996 and produced by US defense contractor Raytheon, the Javelin possesses numerous advantages over more traditional anti-armor weapons. Firstly, it is light enough to be carried by a single soldier, with its 50-pound weight marking a significant improvement over older systems, which were often mounted on tripods, according to a 2021 article by National Interest.
Perhaps the Javelin’s most notable improvement on existing systems is its guidance systems. The BGM-71 TOW, which the Javelin has supplanted as the premier anti-tank system in the US inventory, relies on a wire guidance system. In practical terms, this means that the operator must continue holding the launcher in position until the missile hits its target.
The Javelin, by contrast, utilizes infrared guidance, meaning that the missile is guided by sensors in the missile itself which hone in on the heat from the engine of a target vehicle. This makes the Javelin a “fire-and-forget” weapon, requiring no further human interaction after the projectile is launched; crucially, this allows the operator to seek cover immediately after firing, making enemy counter attacks more difficult.
Another important innovation which separates the Javelin from older weapons is the trajectory of the missile. The Javelin is capable of firing in “top-attack mode,” which sees the missile fly in a high arc up to an altitude of 150 meters before landing on top of its target. This differs from more traditional anti-tank weapons, which fire directly at their targets. This capability is designed to defeat tanks and other armored vehicles, which feature the thinnest armor on the top of the vehicle.
The advanced technology of the Javelin is especially crucial to Ukrainian defenses because of the disparity in firepower between it and its Russian opponents. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Russia had almost 13,000 tanks in 2020, while Ukraine had around 2,000. Even if only a fraction of those are in use during the current invasion, Ukraine is presented with an obvious disadvantage. Because the Javelin is easily portable by a single soldier, it allows Ukraine to combat Russian armor without needing an equivalent number of vehicles. Also of note in regards to the Javelin’s utility for Ukrainian defenders is the minimal back blast produced when firing.
According to the US Army Acquisition Support Center, “The system’s soft-launch feature permits firing from enclosures commonly found in complex urban terrain.”
The Javelin, which, according to an article by the National Interest, has a unit cost of around $80,000, was reportedly part of a $350 million weapons package approved by President Joe Biden on Feb. 26. Due to the fluidity of the conflict, it is difficult to assess how many Javelins have been used in the war, or how effective they have been.
