The U.S. Defense Department has signed a new contract for the production of Javelin anti-tank missile systems for partner countries, including Ukraine, Ukrinform reported on March 3.
The U.S. Army contract is dated February 28, is worth more than $18 million, and was awarded to Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, with work to be performed in Arizona.
The category of the award is for “guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing.”
It has an estimated completion date of June 25, 2020.
The beneficiary countries listed as part of the award include Georgia, Ukraine, Australia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates.
The State Department in October approved the sale of $39.2 million in military equipment to Ukraine, including a second batch of Javelins, the world’s most effective anti-tank missiles, to help Kyiv in its ongoing six-year war against Russia-backed separatists.
The deal reportedly included 150 Javelin missiles and 10 launch units, adding to the 210 missiles and 37 launchers that Ukraine bought from the United States in 2018.
Pentagon Signs Contract To Produce More U.S. Javelins For Ukraine
A Ukrainian soldier launches a U.S. Javelin anti-tank missile at a military training ground outside Kyiv. (file photo)