US approves $93 mn sale of Javelin missiles and Excalibur rockets to India: Here’s what they can do
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US approves $93 mn sale of Javelin missiles and Excalibur rockets to India: Here’s what they can do")
US approves $93 mn sale of Javelin missiles to India Photograph: (Lockheed Martin)
The US approved two defence sales to India worth $93M, including Excalibur projectiles and Javelin missile systems. The deal strengthens India-US strategic ties and boosts India’s precision strike and defence capabilities, with no impact on regional military balance.
In a major development, the United States has cleared the sale of Excalibur projectiles and Javelin missile systems to India worth an estimated $93 million. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the deal includes sale of Javelin missile systems and associated equipment estimated at $45.7 million and Excalibur projectiles valued at $47.1 million. The development comes at a time when India and the US are still negotiating a trade deal, with India facing steep tariffs under Donald Trump's trade regime.
"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defense partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions," said the official statement of DSCA. It also stated, “The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing precision capability equipment, which will increase first strike accuracy in its brigades. India will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.”
The DSCA statement elaborated that India had requested the purchase of up to 216 M982A1 Excalibur tactical projectiles, along with several non-MDE items such as ancillary equipment, Portable Electronic Fire Control Systems with iPIK, primers, propellant charges, technical assistance, repair services, and logistics support. About Javelin missiles, it stated that India had sought to purchase 100 FGM-148 Javelin rounds, one fly-to-buy Javelin missile, and 25 Javelin Lightweight or Block 1 Command Launch Units.
What are Javelin missiles?
According to Lockheed Martin, the Javelin missile system is a man-portable anti-tank guided weapon that uses a “fire-and-forget” infrared seeker, allowing the operator to lock on before launch and immediately relocate after firing. The missile supports both top-attack, to hit the weaker roof armor of tanks, and direct-attack modes for bunkers or other targets. It features a tandem-shaped charge warhead designed to defeat reactive and conventional armor, and the launch unit (CLU) includes both day- and thermal-sighting options.
What are Excalibur projectile?
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
According to Raytheon, the Excalibur projectile is a 155 mm GPS-guided, extended-range artillery shell that uses a jam-resistant internal GPS receiver and inertial navigation system to steer, offering in-flight precision with a miss distance of under two meters. It supports multiple fuze modes, making it versatile and effective even in complex terrain or urban environments. Raytheon claims that one Excalibur round can often replace many conventional shells, greatly reducing the number of rounds needed and minimizing collateral damage.
