India and US firms team up for Javelin missile co-production
Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), a partnership between Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, to explore co-producing the Javelin All Up Round (AUR) missile in India. The agreement, announced on Monday, positions TASL as the prime partner for future in-country production after an evaluation of multiple companies based on capability and technical expertise, as per a statement by Lockheed Martin.
The Javelin AUR is a factory-assembled missile enclosed in its tactical launch container and ready for immediate combat use, according to the statement. In military parlance, the Javelin system is a medium-range, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), meaning the operating crew can 'shoot and scoot' while the missile finds its target on its own navigation. The missile is fired by troops on the ground to target tanks, armoured vehicles and fortified positions at distances of up to 5 km.
The MoU outlines plans to examine the creation of a dedicated final assembly and integration facility in India, along with capabilities to produce components within the country. The proposed facility would support future production requirements and contribute to regional stability across the Indo-Pacific, according to a joint press release issued by the companies.
Rich Liccion, vice president of the Javelin Joint Venture and program director for Lockheed Martin Javelin, described the partnership as "a pivotal step in ensuring a resilient supply chain for this critical anti-tank weapon system." "This collaboration not only expands India's high-tech manufacturing capabilities but also reinforces a stronger, more stable security architecture across the Indo-Pacific region, enabling our partners around the world to respond swiftly to emerging threats," Liccion added.
Jenna Hunt Frazier, president of the Javelin Joint Venture and Javelin program director at Raytheon, said the agreement "establishes a foundation to strengthen the global supply chain for Javelin." Sukaran Singh, CEO and MD of Tata Advanced Systems, said the initiative brings critical assembly expertise and knowledge transfer into India's defence industrial ecosystem, strengthening self-reliance.
Production model and supply chain
Under the proposed co-production arrangement, sub-assembly kits and guidance electronics units will continue to be produced at Lockheed Martin and Raytheon facilities in the United States and shipped to India for final assembly and integration. Lockheed Martin's facility in Troy, Alabama, would manufacture sub-assembly kits over multiple years, while Raytheon's facility in Tucson, Arizona, would produce guidance electronics units, according to the joint press release.
The companies said the arrangement would create high-tech manufacturing jobs in India while sustaining manufacturing positions in the United States. Co-production would also allow the US government to achieve economic order quantities, creating measurable cost savings. Tata officials said the partnership would support interoperability and align with broader Indo-Pacific defence cooperation objectives.
Background and context
The Javelin joint venture has produced more than 55,000 Javelin missiles and over 12,000 reusable Command Launch Units to date, according to the Economic Times. Currently, the Indian Army uses a mix of indigenous and foreign-origin ATGMs, including systems from France, Israel and Russia, as reported by The Tribune.
The announcement comes months after the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) approved a possible $45-million sale of 100 Javelin missiles to India in November last year, as reported by The Tribune. The proposed sale includes 100 Javelin missiles, one fly-to-buy round, 25 command launch units, training aids, simulation rounds, spare parts and full lifecycle support.