'Premier' weapon on battlefield! India set to acquire America's lethal 'Javelin'

NEW DELHI: India is planning to buy the Javelin anti-tank missile system, which has been successfully tested in the United States, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has announced. Javelin is a medium-range anti-tank weapon system that can be carried by one person and is employed with a sophisticated ‘fire-and-forget’ system.

The US State Department approved the sale of Javelin weapon systems to India in November last year. The move is part of further strengthening defence cooperation between India and the US.

What is Javelin?

The Javelin is designed to target armoured vehicles and tanks. The system is currently widely used by the US and its allies. The main feature of the Javelin system, which can be launched from the shoulder, is its ‘fire-and-forget’ technology.

After the missile is launched, its autonomous guidance system will follow the target. Therefore, the biggest feature is that the soldier who launched the missile can immediately move to a safe position. The top attack method is used, in which the missile rises along a curved path to attack the relatively vulnerable upper part of the tank and then falls on the target.

The Javelin also has a system for identifying and locking on to the target before firing. Because of its light weight, soldiers can operate it more safely. In addition, the Javelin can be fired safely from enclosed areas such as buildings and bunkers because it uses soft-launch technology.

The Javelin deal is expected to further strengthen India-US defence cooperation and increase the potential for the two countries to jointly produce weapons.