Ukraine war: Javelin missile supply is gradually exhausted after confronting Russia

To combat the Russian army, the Ukrainian army used Javelin, a mobile anti-tank missile manufactured by the United States, which effectively caused damage to the Russian forces.

However, the construction of this formidable weapon is hampered by limited production lines due to a global shortage of microprocessors. Lockheed Martin, a military weapons manufacturer, has decided to ramp up production of this weapon ahead of Government orders to meet future quantity demands.

In an interview with CBS News, James Taiclet, Lockheed’s chief executive officer, explained in detail the company’s future manufacturing strategy.

“On our side, we are stepping up investment in the plant and the workforce there,” explains Taiclet. “So we’ve invested in buying tools ahead of time, expanding factories and supporting suppliers that are ready to ramp up production.”

“We can start ramping up production right away,” Taiclet stressed. He added that Lockheed Martin anticipates increased demand for “advanced weapons systems”.

Although the Javelin missile was produced many years ago, this military weapon has become a symbol in the armed conflict in Ukraine thanks to its ability to knock out Russian tanks and other armored vehicles. amazingly.

Although the Javelin missile is tied to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Taiclet admits that the weapon’s utility is very high if used in other potential conflict zones. “We know that there will be more demand for these types of weapons systems from the US and its allies, as well as from the Asia-Pacific.”

Despite the effectiveness of the Javelin missile, ramping up production of this anti-armor weapon will take some time. Since the US military has air superiority, the weapon has been contracted for production since it entered service.

The US administration and Congress are now focused on ramping up production. Lawmakers have questioned the Pentagon whether invoking the Defense Production Act, which allows the president to direct some defense corporations to participate in government tenders before others, is real. usefulness or not.

Taiclet added: “When the bipartisan Innovation Act is passed, for example, it will be extremely favorable because we need to invest more in infrastructure in the US to have a domestic supply, especially in terms of infrastructure. microprocessor”.

“And so our production line can be up and running from today, but in the future we will need more domestic capacity and processors, not only for design but also for for production, testing…, so we can secure those processors in the future.”

The Javelin’s battlefield value has been clearly demonstrated, no matter how and when production ramps up. Javelin’s applicability to other regions, particularly the Indo-Pacific, merits further study, observers of the war say.