Javelin missiles are the symbol weapon of Ukrainian resistance against Vladimir Putin. A video released in the last few hours captured the moment when he destroyed a Russian tank.
As the struggle with Russia grows, Ukraine has recently strengthened its defense capacity. Ukrainian troops received advanced weapons from their main allies - with the United States and the United Kingdom at the helm - to deal with the Russian threat.
Among the new generation material that the Ukrainian Army holds, the Javelin missiles, as well as the NLAW, capable of destroying Russian tanks and armored vehicles, stand out.
On January 17, C-17 cargo planes of the British Royal Air Force arrived in Kiev. On that day, UK Defense Minister Ben Wallace argued that Boris Johnson's government decided to “supply Ukraine with anti-armor light defensive weapon systems.”
A British diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss defensive aid with The New York Times, said that the United Kingdom sent more than 4,200 NLAWs to Ukraine. “We still consider it one of the best short-range defensive anti-tank weapons,” he said.
Javelin, the anti-tank weapon symbol of Ukrainian resistance
Images of Ukrainian soldiers carrying Javelin missile launchers on their shoulders have gone around the world: this anti-tank weapon capable of piercing the most sophisticated armor, particularly useful in a guerrilla context, has become the symbol of Ukrainian resistance against the Russian invasion.
Western countries, which want to support Ukraine militarily without entering into direct conflict with Russia, have increased arms deliveries to the Ukrainian army since the Russian invasion began on February 24. Added to that are other shipments from weeks prior to the offensive.
According to a senior US official, Ukrainians have already received 17,000 anti-tank weapons from several Western countries.
“La Santa Javelin”
However, the weapon of choice is the American Javelin (javelin in English), to the point that a meme circulating on social media has transformed it into a religious icon in the hands of Mary Magdalene, an emblematic saint of the Orthodox tradition.
Turned into “Saint Javelin”, protector of Ukraine, the religious figure fires one of these missiles in the yellow and blue colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Symbol of the support of the United States, Ukraine's most powerful ally against Russia, the Javelin missile launcher is well weighted by the military due to its technical characteristics.
Equipped with two explosive charges, it can pierce the most sophisticated tanks in the world, particularly Russian T-90 tanks, whose explosive armor reacts to the impact of a shell to reduce or stop its drilling.
The first charge of the Javelin explodes on contact with the tank and releases the second, even stronger charge, which pierces the armor.
It has a range of 2,500 meters and can be used in direct attack mode to destroy a wall or, if aimed up, to shoot down an element that flies at low altitude, such as a helicopter.
It can also be used in indirect attack mode, when the missile rises up to 160 meters and falls on the target vertically, such as the javelin of the Roman legionnaires.
It is this trajectory that makes it a formidable weapon against tanks because the hatch opens on the roof, where the vehicle is most vulnerable.
Like a video game
It is lighter than other anti-tank systems that require a tripod, so the Javelin can be worn on the shoulder.
The projectile is ejected a few meters from the shooter before the propulsion system is activated, which allows the soldier to go more unnoticed and can be used even from inside a building.
It is of the “shoot and forget” type, which allows you to assign the target before shooting and then it is completely self-guided. The shooter can take shelter even before the missile reaches its target.
According to a US soldier consulted by the AFP agency, it is very easy to use. “If you've played video games, you can use it,” he explains.
In addition, unlike other missile weapons, disposable after use, the Javelin has a fire control unit, equipped with GPS, infrared camera and motorized zoom that is several times reusable.
The tube that houses the disposable missile is attached to that unit.
The command unit is valuable because “we can still use it when we don't have any more ammunition, to monitor and observe” the enemy, says the US soldier.
Assembled by US manufacturers Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, the Javelin missile launcher costs $178,000 each, and includes the launch system and missile, according to the Pentagon's 2021 budget.
Each replacement missile costs about $78,000.
(With information from AFP)
KEEP READING: