The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Thailand of FGM-148 Javelin man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile and related equipment for an estimated cost of $83.5 million. The Javelin Weapon System will replace the obsolete 106mm Recoilless Rifles that the Royal Thai Army (RTA) acquired as part of the Military Assistance Program (MAP) from the Vietnam era. This proposed sale will allow the RTA to modernize their light anti-tank capability and maintain its current force posture, as well as enhance interoperability with the U.S. during operations and training exercises. The prime contractors will be Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture of Orlando, Florida, and Tucson, Arizona.
The Government of Thailand has requested to buy three hundred (300) Javelin FGM-148 Missiles; and fifty
(50) Javelin Command Launch Units (CLU). Also included are Enhanced Producibility Basic Skills Trainers; missile simulation rounds; Security Assistance Management Directorate (SAMD) Technical Assistance; Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions (TAGM) Project Office Technical Assistance; contractor lifecycle support; spares manuals; batteries/chargers; gunner training; ammunition officer training; OCONUS Modified Level 2 Maintenance Training; System Inspection and Check Out (SICO); and other related elements of logistical and program support.
The FGM-148 Javelin is an American man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile fielded to replace the M47 Dragon anti-tank missile in US service. It uses automatic infrared guidance that allows the user to seek cover immediately after launch, as opposed to wire-guided systems, like the Dragon, which require the user to guide the weapon throughout the engagement. The Javelin’s HEAT warhead is capable of defeating modern tanks by hitting them from above where their armor is thinnest (see top-attack), and is also useful against fortifications in a direct attack flight. As of January 2019, over 5,000 Javelin missiles have been fired in combat. The missile also has the ability to engage helicopters in the direct attack mode.
The M40 recoilless rifle is a portable, crew-served 105 mm recoilless rifle made in the United States. Intended primarily as an anti-tank weapon, it could also be employed in an antipersonnel role with the use of an antipersonnel-tracer flechette round. Replacing the M27 recoilless rifle, the M40 primarily saw action during the Vietnam War and was widely used during various conflicts thereafter in Africa or in the Middle East. It was replaced by the BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile system in the US armed forces. The M40 was a very successful export item and continues to be used by South Korea, Ecuador, Estonia, Greece, Honduras, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Taiwan, Turkey, Colombia, Venezuela and many others.
