US Army’s new Javelin launcher is 25% lighter, detects targets twice as far away

The US Army has awarded the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, a $215 million contract to produce a new generation of launch units for its Javelin anti-tank missile system. The Lightweight Command Launch Unit (LWCLU) is designed to give soldiers improved target-detection capabilities in a smaller, lighter package while remaining compatible with existing and future Javelin missiles.

Announced on October 19, the production contract comes five months after the joint venture delivered its first LWCLUs to the Army. The new launcher is intended to replace the legacy Command Launch Unit (CLU), modernizing a key part of a weapon system used by US forces and international customers.

The upgrade focuses on the equipment soldiers use to find, identify, and engage targets, rather than introducing an entirely new missile. That distinction matters because the launcher’s sensors and targeting interface are central to how the Javelin system operates on the battlefield.

Smaller launcher with 2x target-detection range

The LWCLU is 30% smaller and 25% lighter than the existing Block I Command Launch Unit, according to the companies. It also doubles the target-detection and recognition range, helping soldiers spot and identify potential threats from farther away.

The launcher is more than a housing for the missile. It incorporates the sighting and fire-control equipment used to observe the battlefield, acquire a target, and prepare the weapon for launch. The LWCLU’s updated sensors, displays, and image processing are intended to provide clearer imagery and improve target recognition, including during nighttime operations.

The weight reduction is also significant for infantry. Soldiers may need to carry the launcher over difficult terrain while moving between positions, so a smaller and lighter unit can reduce the physical burden without requiring a change to the missiles themselves.

How Javelin launcher works

The Javelin system consists of a reusable command launch unit and a separate missile housed in a launch tube. The launcher provides the operator with the imaging and targeting interface, while the missile carries its own guidance system.

Once a target is acquired and the missile is launched, Javelin uses an imaging infrared seeker to guide itself toward the target. This fire-and-forget approach lets the operator move after firing instead of continuously steering the missile. Javelin can also attack armored vehicles from above, targeting their comparatively vulnerable upper surfaces, or use a direct-attack mode against other targets.

The LWCLU is designed to work with past, current, and future Javelin variants. That compatibility allows the Army to upgrade the equipment used to operate the weapon without requiring an entirely new missile family.

Production ramps up after initial deliveries

The contract follows earlier investment in the manufacturing process. Raytheon said in May that it invested $22 million to modernize its LWCLU factory in Tucson, Arizona, the increase production speed and capacity. The Javelin Joint Venture also manufactures the system with Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Florida.

The partnership said it has produced more than 55,000 Javelin missiles and over 12,000 reusable command launch units to date. The latest contract supports the transition from initial deliveries toward broader production of the upgraded launcher.

For the Army, the improvement is a relatively focused modernization: better target observation and recognition, less equipment weight, and continued compatibility with an established missile system.

As militaries place greater emphasis on infantry mobility and rapid target identification, upgrading the launcher could extend the usefulness of the Javelin without requiring soldiers to learn an entirely new weapon system.