Lockheed Martin is planning to ramp up Javelin anti-tank missile system production, expecting a surge in demand from Ukraine, chief executive James Taiclet announced.
Taiclet said the company is ready to invest in further production of the Javelin, the Patriot, and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system and requested the Pentagon help provide “future contracts to make up the difference.”
“I went over to the Pentagon with my team and basically told the senior leadership there, ‘Look, we’re already investing in increasing the capacity, please make it right and give us the contracts and agreements we need down the road, but we’re going to start investing now,’” he was quoted as saying by Inside Defense.
He added that the company might require pre-funding for Javelin sub-contractors and suppliers to source around “250 microprocessors and other key parts.”
5,500 Javelins Sent to Ukraine Since February
An estimated 5,500 Javelins have been delivered to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country more than two months ago, PBS wrote, citing the US administration.
The number rises to 7,000 — about one-third of the US stockpile — if the units provided during the Trump administration are also included.
The shoulder-fired system — with a range of 2,500 meters (8,202 feet) — costs $178,000, including the launching system and the missile, which alone costs around $78,000, according to the Pentagon’s 2021 budget.
The company is also increasing the production of counter-battery radars and guided rocket systems.