On a battlefield where armoured vehicles can pose a major threat to ground forces, the ability to strike them quickly and accurately can be critical. This is where the Javelin All Up Round (AUR) has an important role. The man-portable anti-tank weapon gives soldiers a precision-guided capability to engage armoured vehicles and other high-value targets while allowing them to move to safety after firing.
The Javelin uses a fire-and-forget capability, meaning the operator does not have to continuously guide the missile after launch. Its ability to attack targets from different angles, including from above, gives ground forces another option against modern armoured threats. For military forces, such systems can support mobility, survivability and rapid response in combat situations.
Building on the India-US defence partnership, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), a partnership between Raytheon, an RTX business, and Lockheed Martin, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the co-production of the Javelin AUR in India.
Under the agreement, TASL has been selected as the JJV’s prime Indian industry partner for future co-production efforts. The two sides will explore setting up a facility in India for the final assembly and integration of the Javelin AUR, along with production of some components.
In the proposed arrangement, sub-assembly kits from Lockheed Martin’s facility in Troy, Alabama, and guidance electronics from Raytheon’s facility in Tucson, Arizona, will be sent to India. These parts will be used for the final assembly and integration of the Javelin AUR in India.
The plan will also help strengthen India’s defence manufacturing sector by bringing new skills and technical expertise into the country. It could also create skilled jobs, expand opportunities for Indian suppliers and make the defence supply chain more resilient.
For the Javelin Joint Venture, production in India could help meet rising global demand and strengthen its supply chain. For soldiers, the Javelin offers a portable way to take on armoured vehicles, with its fire-and-forget system allowing them to move to safety after launch. Its top-attack capability also helps strike vulnerable areas of armoured targets.
The initiative would bring critical assembly expertise and technical knowledge to India’s defence industry. Local assembly of the Javelin AUR would also support operational readiness and timely access to the capability for the Indian Armed Forces, said Sukaran Singh, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Advanced Systems Limited.
Meanwhile, Rich Liccion, vice president, JJV and programme director, Lockheed Martin Javelin, said the proposed final assembly and integration facility in India would strengthen the Javelin supply chain while expanding the country’s high-tech manufacturing capabilities.
Jenna Hunt Frazier, JJV president and Javelin programme director at Raytheon, noted that the agreement would strengthen the global Javelin supply chain and support faster delivery and sustained readiness for partner nations.
The proposed facility could strengthen India’s role in the Javelin supply chain while expanding local defence manufacturing. For the armed forces, local assembly could also provide a more reliable supply of the anti-tank system when needed.
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