Help for Ukraine has depleted arsenals: the US increases production of Javelin.

Expansion of missile production in Virginia

L3Harris Technologies has begun expanding production capacity in Virginia to increase the production of solid-fuel rocket motors for Javelin anti-tank missiles. The $215.6 million project aims to replenish US stocks that have become critically low due to supplies to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.

Deliveries of over 10,000 Javelin systems to Ukraine since February 2022 have created an urgent need to ramp up production. Lockheed Martin plans to increase annual missile output from 2,400 to 4,000 by 2026, but this depends on the supply of rocket motors from Aerojet Rocketdyne.

The Javelin missile is a key example of American and allied weaponry, distinguished by its 'fire-and-forget' technology. It has proven very effective during the conflict in Ukraine, where it was used to target Russian armored columns.

The expansion of Javelin production in Virginia is only part of the extensive US efforts to modernize and ramp up defense production. This project reflects a strategic course towards ensuring an 'affordable mass' of precision weapons to support extended combat operations.