The Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), a partnership between Raytheon, an RTX business, and Lockheed Martin, delivered the first Lightweight Command Launch Units (LWCLU) to the U.S. Army on May 26. The LWCLU replaces the legacy command launch unit for the FGM-148 Javelin, a shoulder-fired anti-tank guided missile used by U.S. and allied forces worldwide.
Built through innovation, advanced manufacturing and industry collaboration, the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), a partnership between Raytheon and @LockheedMartin, delivered the first Lightweight Command Launch Units (LWCLU) to the @USArmy. pic.twitter.com/fhLUa9SXq6
— RTX (@RTX_News) May 26, 2026
The new launcher is 25% lighter and 30% smaller than the unit it replaces, doubles target detection and recognition range, and remains compatible with all current and future Javelin missile variants, according to the joint release.
“Delivering the first LWCLUs to the U.S. Army reflects the Javelin Joint Venture’s commitment to continuously advancing technology for service members,” Jenna Hunt Frazier, JJV president and Raytheon Javelin program director, said. “Our investments in modernization and production capacity ensures soldiers receive this cutting-edge capability faster.”
The delivery arrives more than a year behind schedule. JJV signed the LWCLU production contract in June 2022, and Army leaders said in 2024 that fielding should begin by mid-fiscal year 2025. The Pentagon’s 2025 weapons testing report pushed that window to the second quarter of fiscal year 2026.
A software fault during follow-on operational testing caused the LWCLU to miss its reliability requirement, the Pentagon’s 2023 weapons testing report stated. An Army spokesperson told Breaking Defense the fault was corrected in 2024, a finding the 2025 report confirmed.
Raytheon invested $22 million to modernize its Tucson, Arizona production facility to increase output, according to the joint release. Neither the companies nor the Army disclosed the number of units delivered, their cost, or which Army formations received them.
“Its innovative design enhances mobility and survivability while preserving the precision firepower that users rely on,” Rich Liccion, JJV vice president and Lockheed Martin Javelin program director, said in the release.
