Raytheon has successfully demonstrated firing a Stinger missile from a Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Unit (LWCLU) in a test that saw the missile engage and defeat an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV).

The LWCLU is traditionally used for launching the Javelin missile, however, Raytheon said the launcher’s optics make it suitable for standalone Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions.

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During the test, conducted at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, soldiers from the Mississippi National Guard used a Sentinel radar simulator and a Forward Area Air Defence Command and Control (FAAD/C2) system to track the target UAV.

A gunner then engaged the UAV with a Stinger Block I proximity fuse missile launched from a networked LWCLU.

The ability to fire the Stinger missile from the Javelin launch unit means personnel can engage both aerial and ground targets without the need to carry multiple launch systems.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense Land Warfare & Air Defense vice president Tom Laliberty said: “Because LWCLU can defeat both land and aerial threats, it’s easier for soldiers to use in complex environments, It reduces the burden of carrying additional gear.”

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The Stinger missile is in-service with 19 countries and has been credited with more than 270 fixed and rotary-wing intercepts. The Javelin system has been operated by 21 countries.

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