Exclusive: U.S. Lockheed Martin/Raytheon to double Javelin anti-tank missile production by 2026.

According to information published by Lockheed Martin on July 16, 2025, the company has initiated a large-scale modernization of its Javelin anti-tank missile production line to respond to escalating global demand and to ensure continuous delivery to U.S. and allied armed forces. The Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), formed by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, currently produces approximately 2,400 Javelin missiles per year. That figure is set to increase to 3,960 annually by late 2026. This 65 percent production boost is driving an ambitious transformation of Lockheed Martin’s facilities, manufacturing technologies, and quality control systems to achieve a new level of industrial agility, cyber-compliance, and operational efficiency.
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A U.S. soldier from 4th Squadron 2nd Cavalry Regiment prepares to fire a Javelin missile during live fire training at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on March 23, 2025. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

The Javelin, formally designated FGM-148, is a man-portable, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile system. It entered service with the U.S. Army in the mid-1990s to replace the M47 Dragon system and has since become one of the most effective and widely fielded infantry-operated ATGMs in the world. The system comprises a reusable Command Launch Unit (CLU) with integrated thermal imaging and target acquisition capabilities, and a missile tube that delivers a tandem-shaped charge warhead capable of penetrating advanced reactive and composite armor. The Javelin can engage targets at ranges exceeding 4,000 meters in its latest variants and operates in two attack modes: direct attack for bunkers and fortifications, and top-attack for armored vehicles, exploiting their most vulnerable point.

Javelin’s battlefield performance reached global prominence during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where it has played a decisive role in shaping ground engagements. Supplied in large numbers by the United States and NATO allies since early 2022, the Javelin missile system has been deployed extensively by Ukrainian infantry and territorial defense units to repel Russian armored thrusts. During the initial phases of the conflict, Javelins were used with great tactical effectiveness against advancing Russian columns in both rural and urban terrain. Videos and combat reports documented successful engagements against main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, and fortified positions, often with a single missile resulting in complete vehicle destruction. The missile’s ease of use, minimal training requirements, and fire-and-forget guidance allowed small Ukrainian teams to strike armor and relocate quickly, avoiding return fire.

The combat data collected from Ukraine also validated the Javelin’s resilience in austere conditions, its effectiveness against Russian active protection systems (APS), and its ability to maintain a high operational tempo over extended periods. In many cases, Javelin missiles were launched from concealed positions such as tree lines or building interiors, with the top-attack mode enabling devastating strikes on tank turrets and engine decks. Its proven battlefield lethality has since triggered a wave of renewed interest from European and Indo-Pacific partners, particularly those bordering Russia or facing potential high-intensity conflict scenarios.

To meet this surge in demand, Lockheed Martin is implementing advanced manufacturing upgrades across its Troy (Alabama), Ocala (Florida), and Huntsville (Alabama) facilities. In May 2025, the first newly designed continuity test station was commissioned in Pike County, replacing aging test systems and delivering higher accuracy in validating missile subsystem connectivity. These stations are fully cyber-compliant and designed to support scalable production while minimizing test station downtime. One significant innovation includes a station capable of testing four Javelin seekers simultaneously—four times the current throughput—boosting both speed and reliability.

Simultaneously, the introduction of SystemLink, a digital data automation and analysis platform, is driving real-time decision-making on the production line, allowing for more responsive quality control and process optimization. Lockheed Martin is also standardizing software architecture across all production centers, simplifying maintenance, enhancing technician training, and reducing troubleshooting time.

By late 2026, Lockheed Martin will have deployed 14 new cyber-compliant test stations in Troy, eight in Ocala, and two in Huntsville, all of which will support Quality Assurance Lot Validation Testing (QALVT) and advanced engineering evaluations. These systems will not only speed up production and reduce lead times but will also ensure high fidelity in performance testing, environmental resilience, and functional verification.

The modernization effort includes close collaboration with suppliers to expand their capacity and integrate next-generation manufacturing processes, ensuring the full supply chain is aligned with the ramp-up goals. The modular, replicable nature of the new test systems also lays the groundwork for future international co-production. This would enable allied countries to participate directly in Javelin manufacturing under strict cybersecurity and export control regulations, creating new defense-industrial partnerships and enhancing global readiness.

Lockheed Martin’s investment in Javelin anti-tank missile modernization represents not only a response to current demand but a forward-looking commitment to sustain one of the most combat-proven and strategically critical anti-armor weapons of the 21st century. The Javelin continues to play a vital role in reinforcing deterrence and enabling asymmetric anti-armor warfare, particularly for nations preparing for high-threat scenarios in Europe, Asia, and beyond.