India signs Javelin procurement deal with U.S. 

Why in News?

India has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the United States to procure a limited number of Javelin anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems through the Foreign Military Sales route. The emergency procurement seeks to strengthen the Army’s anti-armour capabilities following Operation Sindoor. 

Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile: 

• The FGM-148 Javelin is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, medium-range ATGM manufactured by the Javelin Joint Venture of RTX and Lockheed Martin.
• Guidance: Imaging infrared seeker with lock-on-before-launch capability.
• Fire-and-forget: The missile guides itself after launch, enabling the operator to immediately relocate.
• Attack Modes:
  • Top attack against tanks and armoured vehicles
  • Direct attack against bunkers, buildings and low-flying helicopters
• Warhead: Tandem high-explosive anti-tank warhead designed to defeat explosive reactive armour.
• Range: Older variants have an operational range of about 65 metres to 2.5 km; newer configurations can engage targets at around 4 km.
• Weight: The complete system (missile round and command launch unit) weighs approximately 22 kg.
• Soft-launch system: Allows firing from enclosed or concealed positions with reduced backblast.
• Deployment: Operated by a two-person infantry team, though it can be fired by a single trained soldier.
• Day-and-night capability: Its reusable Command Launch Unit provides thermal imaging for surveillance and target acquisition.

Significance for India: 

• Improved tank-killing capability: Top attack trajectory targets the relatively thinner upper armour of tanks.
• Greater infantry survivability: Fire-and-forget technology enables shoot-and-scoot operations, reducing exposure to retaliatory fire.
• Suitable for difficult terrain: Its portability makes it valuable along mountainous and contested land borders.
• Multi-target utility: It can engage armour, fortified positions and other battlefield targets.
• Immediate capability augmentation: The limited purchase can bridge operational gaps while India develops and inducts its indigenous Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).
• Defence cooperation: The agreement may facilitate future discussions on co-production and strengthen India-U.S. defence-industrial ties.

The Javelin will provide Indian infantry with a highly mobile, precise and survivable anti-armour capability. However, the emergency purchase should remain complementary to the development and large-scale induction of indigenous ATGM systems.