SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India is evaluating a proposal for joint production of the American Javelin, a third-generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). This move comes amid the Indian Army’s need for a readily deployable, soldier-portable anti-tank solution.
The Javelin’s primary advantage lies in its weight. At a total weight of 22.3 kg, including the missile, launcher, and sights, it is significantly lighter than India’s indigenously developed Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile MPATGM by DRDO. The MPATGM, though still under development, weighs around 29 kg without its tripod, making it a heavier, two-man operation compared to the shoulder-fired Javelin.
Despite the Javelin’s potential, India plans to pursue a dual-pronged approach. The Javelin’s faster availability and lighter weight make it ideal for quicker deployment, particularly in light of current border requirements. However, India also intends to continue development and procure its MPATGM for the long term, potentially fulfilling different roles within the army’s arsenal.
The MPATGM has undergone testing since 2018, but completion of its development and user trials is still estimated to be 2-3 years away. In contrast, the Javelin is a battle-tested system, proven in various conflicts.
India is reportedly considering an order for nearly 40,000 Javelin- MPATGM 3rd Gen ATGMs in the long term to move away from the current inventory of 70,000 2nd gen ATGMs (Milan of French origin and Russian Konkurs ATGMs.) which are pretty outdated against Modern Armour. Both Javelin-MT-ATGM will likely replace Milan and Konkurs ATGMs for the Indian Army .
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