Poland finalizes negotiations to buy FGM-148 Javelin antitank missiles

April 2020 News Defense Global Security army industry
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The Polish Defense Ministry has concluded negotiations regarding the purchase of FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank guided missiles. A formal agreement to this effect will be signed soon, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced on Tuesday, April 21. The prime contractors are Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture.

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A British Soldier, assigned to the Balaklava Troop, C Squadron, also known as the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, teaches a Polish Soldier the operations of a Javelin anti-tank guided missile system in support of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Poland in Bemowo Piskie, Poland, Jan. 30, 2020. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

"We have concluded negotiations concerning the purchase of 60 launch units and 180 Javelin missiles," Blaszczak wrote on Twitter, adding that this would not be an end of purchases: "There will be more Javelins. We have also been working on the purchase of light anti-tank weapons as part of the Hermit project," Blaszczak added.

The Government of Poland had sent a request to the U.S. Government to buy 180 Javelin missiles and 79 Javelin Command Launch Units (CLUs). Also included were 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 Javelin system consists of the CLU and the missile. With a carry weight of 6.4kg, the CLU incorporates a passive target acquisition and fire control unit with integrated day sight and thermal imaging capabilities. The Javelin missile's tandem warhead is a HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) type. This round utilizes an explosive shaped charge to create a stream of superplastically deformed metal formed from trumpet-shaped metallic liners. The result is a narrow high-velocity particle stream that can penetrate armor.

The Javelin missile has a maximum firing range of 4,000 meters. The tandem shaped charge HEAT warhead can penetrate up to 750mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) that is a type of armor made of a single steel composition hot-rolled to improve its material characteristics, as opposed to layered or cemented armor.