Over the last two decades, Javelin® has become the combat-proven precision weapon system of choice for defending against threats worldwide. There has also been a significant increase over the years in its integration onto both U.S. and international platforms, demonstrating Javelin’s capability to deliver integrated mission-focused defense capabilities to the Javelin global community.

“Integration with unmanned ground vehicles leverages Javelin’s proven capability in the mounted and dismounted operational space,” said Andy Amaro, president of the Javelin Joint Venture and Javelin program director at Raytheon, an RTX business. “By making Javelin available from a broader set of platforms, we are giving global ground forces an even greater advantage across the battlefield.”

Most recently, Javelin participated in the U.S. Army’s Project Convergence Capstone 4 (PCC4) exercise where it successfully demonstrated its autonomous remote operations, showcasing that this capability is mature and reinforcing the potential for future Javelin remote deployment opportunities from other autonomous platforms.

On March 18, Javelin was successfully deployed from two different unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) as part of the PCC4 Phase II series of exercises at the National Training Center (NTC) in Fort Irwin, California. Javelin was deployed from two UGVs, which were both equipped with the Kongsberg Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station-Javelin (CROWS-J). This exercise was significant because this was the first time Javelin was successfully deployed from multiple UGVs in a coordinated live fire event representative of projected tactical engagement scenarios.

Each UGV successfully engaged separate targets at varying ranges. Javelin’s unique capability to use top attack engagement trajectory was also showcased. The success of the PCC4 exercise further highlights Javelin’s capability to be successfully remotely deployed from unmanned platforms, along with showing its high level of interoperability and potential to be integrated into Joint All Domain Operations (JADO) through the use of unmanned autonomous vehicles.

Javelin demonstration from a Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) prototype in May 2021 at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL (Photo courtesy of QinetiQ and Kongsberg Defense)

Due to the success of the PCC4 exercise, along with Javelin’s past performance excellence in autonomous operational deployment, the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) continues to work with the U.S. Army and key international allies to continue to explore Javelin’s platform expansion potential with multiple upcoming future integration opportunities.

This isn’t the first time Javelin has been deployed using unmanned autonomous vehicles. In the past, it has been deployed from both a Titan unmanned ground vehicle and a Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light (RCV-L).

“Javelin has been transforming the defense industry through its innovative use in the mounted position on various vehicles, making it a versatile capability that can be launched from both manned and unmanned platforms,” says Dave Pantano, Javelin Joint Venture vice president and Lockheed Martin Javelin program director. “Our hope is through collaboration with the U.S. Army and our multinational partners, we can help support cross-domain military operations that ensure global future readiness."

Javelin being fired from a CROWS-Javelin mounted on a Titan UGV in June 2019 at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army)

In 2018, the Stryker 2nd Cavalry Regiment successfully validated the integration of CROWS-J onto U.S. Stryker vehicles, allowing for soldiers to be able to engage targets from within the vehicle. It was considered a modernization milestone for the U.S. Army, allowing for enhanced agility, survivability and mission effectiveness for its ground fighting forces. The U.S. Army has since fielded CROWS-J with two additional Stryker brigades and plans to provide this enhanced capability to all Stryker brigades.

There are also a handful of international integration opportunities being pursued over the long term. In March 2023, the Australian Army held a Javelin live fire demonstration at Singleton Military Training Area in New South Wales, Australia. Army fired a Javelin missile from an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to demonstrate the weapon’s integration capabilities onto the platform.

As Javelin production continues to ramp up due to increased demand, the JJV continues to work with strategic long-term international partners on how to continue to grow Javelin’s platform integration footprint that will best support customer readiness worldwide.