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FGM-148 Javelin - Soldier Lethality

The core of the "Soldier Lethality" project includes enhancing the firepower level of individual US soldiers, and increasing the lethality of individual weapons and equipment. The third element is to enhance the combat team's ability to engage in long-distance combat. One is portability. Of course, these two anti-tank missiles are not heavy. For example, the weight of the entire system of the "Javelin" is only 22.3 kg, and the basic model of the "Spike-MR" is only 25.9 kg. But the U.S. military believes that they can be lighter.

The second is whether it is capable of all-weather combat after launch. Of course, whether it is "Javelin" or "Spike", it is originally a kind of "launch and forget" anti-tank missile, but the US military believes that their performance still has room for improvement. The third is a strong armor-piercing capability. The original static armor-piercing capabilities of these two anti-tank missiles are between 700 ("spike") and 1100 mm ("javelin"), which can be used to penetrate the T-90A. A typical main battle tank target, but it is really close to ZTZ-99A or T-14 "Amata".

The fourth is a longer range. The early model of the "Javelin" can reach about 2,500 meters at night, and the "Spike-MR" is also at this level (the theoretical range of the early model of the "Spike-SR" is less than 1,000 meters). At the same time, corresponding requirements have been put forward for the maintainability, quick response capability, and portability of these two portable anti-tank missiles. This system was still very advanced in the 1990s, and it can almost be said to be a "fourth generation" anti-tank missile, but it is not perfect. It does not have the ability to attack beyond visual range. After all, the CLU of the "Javelin" missile needs to "see" the target before launching the missile. The second issue is that the response speed is relatively limited, especially the seeker of the "Javelin" missile requires liquid nitrogen cooling, which increases the overall weight of the system and prolongs the response time. The third is that the guidance mode is relatively simple. Compared with our army’s Red Arrow-12 portable anti-tank missile, which has multi-mode guidance channels such as infrared imaging, CCD TV, and even image matching, the "Javelin" anti-tank missile has only one guidance channel. It is the second generation of infrared imaging guidance, and its anti-interference performance is slightly weaker.

Therefore, the improvement of the "Javelin-Block 1" by the U.S. military focused on the improvement of the guidance system. On the guidance module of the missile, the cooled infrared seeker is replaced with a new generation of uncooled infrared seeker, which reduces the Missile weight and reaction time. As for the important CLU module, Javelin provided a brand new LWCLU for the new generation of "Javelin", that is, "Lightweight Launch Control Unit". Compared with the old-fashioned CLU, this newly developed LWCLU not only uses a new long-wave cooling infrared imaging channel, but also adds TV and laser guidance channels, and also achieves multi-mode guidance capabilities.

The LWCLU can theoretically endow the new "Javelin" missile with a longer range and even beyond-the-horizon attack capabilities. It is reported that LWCLU can cooperate with the AN/TPQ-36/37 artillery reconnaissance radar of the US Army Brigade Artillery Battalion , The M1131 fire support vehicles equipped with the various fire support platoons of the Stryker Brigade Aircraft Battalion share data, thereby incorporating a single "Javelin" missile into the fire network of the entire US military brigade. For example, LWCLU can guide the "Javelin" missile to attack targets 4 kilometers or even 5 kilometers away in all weathers when it is guided by the firepower of the M1131 fire support vehicle and the M1127 long-range reconnaissance vehicle of the Brigade Cavalry Squadron.

Compared with the "Javelin" missile's original range of about 2,500 meters at night, it was doubled. At the same time, the static armor penetration depth of the missile is said to have also increased to a certain extent, from about 1100mm/RHA to about 1400mm/RHA. In theory It can already destroy main battle tanks like ZTZ-99A. Of course, compared to the FGM-148A, the combat weight of the improved "Javelin" anti-tank missile is still as high as more than 20 kilograms, but it is acceptable.

The new "Javelin" anti-tank missile has a penetration of 1400mm / RHA which already has the ability to destroy the ZTZ-99 main battle tank in theory. At the same time, it has the ability to attack beyond visual range, "indirect shooting" under the guidance of other target guidance systems, and even engage in the army version of "A-shooting B-guiding" capabilities, which will further complicate the battlefield environment and threat direction. It may even cause the main battle tank's warning system specially prepared for laser irradiation to be hit when it does not receive the warning at all, and the laser countermeasure system cannot find the countermeasure target at all.

Although these threats can be compensated by tactics, as a technical direction of the future ground combat of the Army, and even as a novel means of attack, the new "Javelin" anti-tank missile tested by the US military was actually enough to arouse Chinese vigilance. It is still a very important task for the Chinese Army to develop similar equipment on the basis of the Hongjian-12 anti-tank missile, to improve the anti-break performance of the main battle tanks, and to test the new tactics of tit-for-tat.

The Army initiated four Javelin system improvements to reduce unit cost and weight and improve lethality against non-armored targets. These improvements are referred to as Spiral 1, 2, 3, and Light Weight CLU.

• The Spiral 1 effort replaced electronic components in the control actuator section of the missile for cost and weight savings. Production missiles are designated FGM-148E.
• The Spiral 2 effort utilizes the legacy Precursor Warhead (PCWH), and a newly developed Multipurpose Warhead (MPWH) that uses enhanced fragmentation to improve lethality against non-armored targets and personnel in the open while maintaining lethality against armored threats. Production missiles are designated FGM-148F
• The Spiral 3 effort develops a new launch tube assembly and battery unit, and will replace the current gas-cooled seeker with an uncooled seeker in the guidance section of the missile. Production missiles will be designated FGM-148G.
• The Light Weight CLU effort developed a new CLU that is smaller and lighter while maintaining or improving system performance.

In FY16, the Army tested the Spiral 2 missile improvements and continued development of Spiral 3 missile improvements and a new Light Weight Command Launch Unit (CLU). The Army intends these efforts to improve lethality against non-armored targets and to reduce unit cost and weight. Early arena testing and lethality modeling of the Spiral 2 missile, which includes a new Multi-Purpose Warhead (MPWH), has demonstrated improved warhead fragmentation and similar armor penetration compared to the legacy warhead. This indicated the potential for improved lethality against non-armored targets and personnel in the open while maintaining performance against armored threats.

The precursor warhead (PCWH) failed to detonate in two of two flight tests and two of nine static warhead tests, and the MPWH failed to detonate in one of nine static warhead tests. The Army stopped the testing of the Spiral 2 missile and convened a failure review board to investigate the cause of the failures. Testing of the Spiral 2 missile will continue into FY17 following resolution of the warhead detonation problems.

In FY18, the Army continued development of the Spiral 3 missile and a new Light Weight Command Launch Unit (CLU). The Army intended these efforts to reduce unit cost and weight while maintaining or improving system performance. In FY18, the Army conducted 22 Spiral 3 static penetration tests. Two additional static tests remain. Early indications from Spiral 3 static penetration testing showed no diff erences between the Spiral 3 and Spiral 2 warhead (behind seeker) performance.

By 2022 Javelin was undergoing two separate, complementary upgrades intended to control unit cost, reduce size and weight, and address component obsolescence while meeting or exceeding the current system performance. These system improvements are referred to as the G-model missile and LW CLU. The G-model missile effort is developing a new LTA, electronic battery unit, guidance electronics unit, and missile seeker. Production missiles will be designated FGM-148G. The LW CLU effort incorporates modern daylight and infrared camera technology in a smaller and lighter form factor. The LW CLU will be backward compatible with prior missile models and the G-model missile will be backward compatible with the current (Block 1) CLU.

IOT&E will inform the LW CLU Full-Rate Production decision planned in 2QFY24. The G-model missile will continue development and testing over the next 3 years and begin production upon the completion of a successful government qualification flight test series. DOT&E approved an updated test and evaluation master plan (TEMP) for the Javelin program in April 2020.

Feedback on the LW CLU has been positive. Gunners prefer the improved camera resolution and the smaller, lighter form factor. DT testing to date indicates that the LW CLU is on track to meet its reliability requirement. The G-model missile experienced a failure during a contractor led confidence flight test. Flight testing has been halted, and the failure is under investigation as of this writing. A reliability estimate is not available at this time.