Britain buying over 500 Javelin missile launchers

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of "Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units" (LWCLUs) to the United Kingdom for an estimated cost of $300 million.

The UK government had requested to buy 513 Javelin LWCLUs.

"The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the United Kingdom of Javelin LWCLUs for an estimated cost of $300 million," UK Defence Journal reported on August 2. 

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe. The proposed sale will improve the United Kingdom’s capability to meet current and future threats. The United Kingdom will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defence and deter regional threats. The United Kingdom will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces,” the report added.

Javelin is an anti-tank-guided munition that can be carried and launched by a single person. It is a medium-range, “fire-and-forget” missile for use against a wide array of targets including armoured vehicles, bunkers and caves.

Javelin has been used in Afghanistan and Iraq in more than 5,000 engagements, it’s also making a name for itself in Ukraine.

According to the manufacturers, the system uses an arched top-attack profile. Javelin climbs above its target for improved visibility and then strikes where the armour is weakest. To fire, the gunner places a cursor over the selected target. The Javelin command launch unit then sends a lock-on-before-launch signal to the missile. With its soft launch design, Javelin can be safely fired from inside buildings or bunkers.