Australia purchases 255 FGM-148F Javelin antitank missiles worth USD 60Mn.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on March 7 announced that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of FGM-148F Javelin missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $60.18 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.
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Australian soldier firing an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile (Picture source: Australian Army/Sgt Tristan Kennedy)

The Government of Australia has requested to buy up to two hundred fifty-five (255) FGM-148F Javelin missiles (including five (5) fly-to-buy missiles). Also included are U.S. technical assistance, consisting of Tactical Air Ground Missiles (TAGM) Project Office technical assistance and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated total cost is $60.18 million.

The prime U.S. contractor will be the Javelin Joint Venture between Lockheed Martin in Orlando, FL, and Raytheon Missiles and Defense in Tucson, AZ. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Australia.

The FGM-148 Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium (AAWS-M), is a portable man-portable anti-tank systems system in service since 1996, and continuously upgraded. It replaced the M47 Dragon anti-tank missile in US service. Its fire-and-forget design uses automatic infrared guidance that allows the user to seek cover immediately after launch, in contrast to wire-guided systems, like the system used by the Dragon, which requires a user to guide the weapon throughout the engagement. The Javelin's high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead can defeat modern tanks by a top attack, hitting them from above, where their armor is the thinnest, and is also useful against fortifications in a direct attack flight.

Defense News March 2023