Washington: A software problem with the US Army’s new Javelin launcher has been corrected, but development of a new shoulder-fired missile remains on hold, the service said.
Lockheed Martin and Raytheon’s Javelin Joint Venture is tapped for a modernisation effort that includes a Light Weight Command Launch Unit (LW CLU) and the new G-model missile (to be designated the FGM-148G). Both have encountered problems, as detailed in this year’s Pentagon test report, published earlier this month.
“Early results indicate that the [launcher] met its reliability requirement at the [limited user test] LUT, but not during the [follow-on operational test & evaluation] FOT&E due to a new software fault that resulted in multiple system aborts,” the Pentagon’s Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) wrote in its annual report covering fiscal 2023 weapons testing.
According to a Javelin Joint Venture spokeswoman, that launcher problem stemmed from a “discovery related to a battery in an end of life state.”
“This was promptly resolved with a software update and subsequent testing confirmed the fix,” she wrote in a statement. “The system demonstrated optimal performance, showcasing its enhanced capabilities for extended range.”
A spokesman for the Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) for Missiles and Space confirmed the software fix and said the service plans to continue launcher testing this year to ensure it works as planned. If everything proceeds smoothly, service leaders want to make a full-rate production decision in the April to June timeframe, and begin fielding the first launchers in mid-FY25, he added.
But work doesn’t stop there. The annual test report noted that similar to the current launcher, the Block 1 CLU, the LW CLU’s battery performance “was significantly degraded in the cold temperatures,” and recommended that a long-term replacement strategy be crafted. The Army spokesman said such a plan is in the works with an analysis into alternative batteries underway.
