Raytheon, Lockheed receive contract for Javelin missile upgrades

Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Raytheon and Lockheed Martin's Javelin joint venture company has received a $14 million contract modification for Javelin Weapon System modernization.

Work on the contract, announced Thursday by the Department of Defense, will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., with an estimated completion date of September 2020. Army fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $14.3 million were obligated at award.

The FGM-148 Javelin is a man-portable anti-tank missile used by the U.S. and many allied countries. The missile has a "fire-and-forget" infrared guidance system that requires no course corrections from the operator after launch.

The Javelin can target moving vehicles, fixed fortifications, troops in the open and low-flying helicopters. It can be used for direct fire or in a pop-up mode that allows it to hit tanks from above to take advantage of their thinner top armor.

The missile also has a soft-launch capability that limits its backblast, allowing it to be used from fortifications and buildings, and it carries a tandem-charge high-explosive anti-tank warhead for defeating hardened targets.