The U.S. Army has awarded the Javelin Joint Venture a $215 million production contract for its Lightweight Command Launch Unit system.
The Javelin Joint Venture is a partnership between Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), combining the capabilities of both defense giants.
The Lightweight Command Launch Unit, known as the LWCLU, serves as the next-generation launcher for the Javelin weapon system, replacing its legacy command launch unit.
The contract award comes five months after the Javelin Joint Venture delivered its first LWCLUs to the Army, marking a significant production milestone.
The LWCLU is designed to be adaptable and compatible with all current, past, and future Javelin variants, offering broad operational flexibility for the Army.
Compared to the current Block I Command Launch Unit, the LWCLU is 30% smaller and 25% lighter, while doubling target detection and recognition capabilities.
“This contract reflects the strong partnership between industry and the Army to sustain and advance the Javelin system,” said Jenna Hunt Frazier, JJV president and Javelin program director at Raytheon.
“By modernizing our factory and strengthening our production line, we’re ensuring soldiers receive a lighter, more capable launcher that improves operational readiness across the force,” Frazier added.
Rich Liccion, vice president of the JJV and program director at Lockheed Martin Javelin, highlighted the contract’s significance for warfighter readiness and mission support.
“The LWCLU contract award is a powerful testament to the JJV’s ongoing commitment to meeting the warfighter’s most critical needs,” Liccion said.
“This achievement reflects what we can accomplish when innovation is driven by purpose and a relentless focus on the mission we support,” Liccion continued.
The LWCLU maximizes battlefield surveillance for soldiers while offering day and night engagement capability, strengthening operational readiness across the force.
Javelin is developed and produced through the joint venture, with Raytheon operating out of Tucson, Arizona, and Lockheed Martin based in Orlando, Florida.
To date, the Javelin Joint Venture has produced more than 55,000 Javelin missiles and more than 12,000 reusable Command Launch Units across its production history.
RTX, the parent company of Raytheon, employs more than 180,000 people globally and reported 2025 sales of more than $88 billion, with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
