Javelin: Why Russia Fears This Missile Built To Kill Tanks
BySebastien RoblinPublished19 seconds ago
Russia is being hit hard by Ukraine‘s Javelin anti-tank missiles. What makes this weapon so powerful? The U.S.-made FGM-148 Javelin is one of the premier portable anti-tank missile systems in the world. It’s also an expensive piece of kit, with each missile typically costing more than the targets it eliminates.
Still, the infrared-guided Javelin has proven itself in combat in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria and has a reliable shtick that should work on virtually any tank out there—it hits them on the weak top armor. It also exposes its crew to less danger than the typical guided missile system. Because it’s such a lightweight system, it may end up being a first responder on the ground to emergencies that could be described as “massive, unexpected tank invasions”—a scenario the U.S. military could have faced during Operation Desert Shield when it deployed light infantry to defend Saudi Arabia, and currently fears in the Baltics.
The Javelin is so effective that who the United States sells or gives Javelins to has become a political issue on more than one occasion. Within the U.S. military, the Javelin also looks set to transition from being purely an infantry system to being mounted on vehicles.
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/02/javelin-why-russia-fears-this-missile-built-to-kill-tanks/
