The UK MoD has recently released a sequence of images showing 45 Commando Royal Marines firing the JAVELIN Missile System in Estonia in May.
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X Company from 45 Commando Royal Marines, in Estonia at a large, live firing range using the JAVELIN Missile System.
JAVELIN, the medium range anti-tank guided weapon replacement for Milan, is an enhanced version of the American weapon proven on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan by US forces. Although designed primarily to destroy tanks and light armoured vehicles, JAVELIN can also provide a potent, all-weather, day or night capability against fixed defences, such as bunkers and buildings. The integrated sight allows the operator to acquire the target, lock-on, fire and ‘forget’. This means that as soon as the missile is launched, the firer can acquire another target or move position.
JAVELIN has a maximum range of 2500m and overfly and direct attack modes of operation. JAVELIN is a crew-served weapon operated by a firer and a controller/observer. The controller/observer commands the weapon and assists with loading, identifying targets and battlefield damage assessment.
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- Editor’s Footnote: On 25th May, three days before the 45 Commando JAVELIN live-fire in Estonia, our Senior Correspondent Carl Schulze covered the heavy artillery live-fire phase of KEVADTORM 2023 on the Estonian Central Training Area just before leaving theatre. We plan to publish a photo album of Carl’s images of Estonian and French self-propelled guns in action in the not too distant future.
