The Pentagon has approved a contract with American arms manufacturers Raytheon - Lockheed Martin for the production of anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs) FGM-148 Javelin for Ukraine, Georgia, Estonia, Lithuania, Australia, Czech Republic, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, New Zealand, Norway, Oman , Qatar, Turkey and the UAE in the amount of $ 18.4 million. Information on this is posted on the website of the US defense department in the section on new commercial agreements.
Under this contract, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin will produce ATGMs under the auspices of the joint venture Javelin Joint Venture. The number of complexes for each individual country is not indicated in the message. Estimated completion date is June 25 of the current year.
Javelin is considered one of the most effective anti-tank systems in the world. The experts consider the advantages of the American ATGM to be high accuracy, range and ability to hit the most vulnerable parts of tanks. At the same time, this weapon is not without drawbacks, which include high cost and whimsical use.
A series of contracts
Recall that the issue of deliveries of Javelin anti-tank systems to Ukraine for several years was at the center of diplomatic dialogue between Kiev and Washington. The administration of the former president of the country Petro Poroshenko stated that the Ukrainian side needs the Javelin complexes in order to confront the “Russian aggression”, referring to the armed conflict with the self-proclaimed republics of Donbass.
- US Army soldier with Javelin missile system during exercises in Afghanistan
- Reuters
- © Lucas Jackson
In March 2018, the United States approved the transfer to Ukraine of 37 Javelin launchers and 210 missiles for them in the amount of $ 47 million.On May 2, Ukrainian troops began to develop American ATGMs, and on May 22 made their first launches at a training ground in the Chernihiv region. On August 24, the complexes delivered from the USA were shown to the public at the parade in honor of Independence Day of Ukraine.
In January 2019, Poroshenko said that the American anti-tank systems had a “noticeable psychological effect” on the demarcation line in the Donbass. According to him, the "Russian tankers" allegedly began to refuse to leave for positions, learning about the appearance of Javelin in service with the Ukrainian army.
In October 2019, the Pentagon notified the U.S. Congress of its intention to sell Kiev another 150 missiles for the Javelin complexes and other related military equipment for $ 39.2 million.
At the end of December 2019, the head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andrii Zagorodniuk during a briefing on the implementation of the State Defense Order announced the conclusion of a new contract for the supply of Javelin complexes. According to him, the deal with the United States is a landmark for the country's armed forces.
“For example, we first purchased Javelin anti-tank missile systems in the United States. This is really a landmark contract for us, ”the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine quotes Zagorodniuk.
In turn, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anatoly Petrenko said that we are talking about the second batch of Javelin, which Kiev purchased from the United States, adding that the deal was concluded in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Vladimir Batyuk, head of the Center for Military-Political Studies of the Institute of the USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in a conversation with RT that despite the small amount of the contract, the continued supply of arms to Ukraine eloquently testifies to Washington’s political intentions.
“Against the general background of the US defense budget, which is about $ 730 billion, $ 18 million is about one percent, not very much. But purely from a political point of view, this indicates the position taken by the United States regarding the conflict in the Donbass. This position is that Ukraine should continue to fight in the east to a victorious end - this is in American interests, ”the expert explained.
No limits
It is worth noting that, when concluding contracts with Kiev for the supply of Javelin anti-tank systems, the American side emphasized that they would supposedly be used only for defense. In 2018, in particular, this was stated by Kurt Walker, who held the post of US Special Representative for Ukraine at that time.
- ATGM Javelin
- © US Army
Commenting on the first deliveries of the complexes to the Ukrainian military, he said that the ATGMs provided were exclusively defensive weapons and should not be used on the contact line between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the unrecognized republics in the Donbass. Walker also noted that the US hopes to "fill in the white spots in the defense of Ukraine" in order to "prevent further incitement to the conflict."
Volcker’s statement was made amid Moscow’s objection that the transfer of new weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine would not contribute to de-escalation of the conflict.
However, at the end of 2019, the Pentagon denied the information that the Javelin complexes were transferred to Kiev, provided that they were not sent to the contact line. So, in December 2019, Deputy Minister of Defense for Political Affairs John Rood noted that this information was not true, and Washington did not impose any restrictions on the use of these complexes.
The only condition, Rood explained, was to ensure the safety of the technology and prevent its transfer to third parties.
“The USA provided Ukraine with Javelin anti-tank systems. We asked, and there are certain requirements of this kind, for ensuring the safety of technology, preventing the transfer of technology to third parties. There are no restrictions in terms of “in the field” application, ”Defense News quoted the Pentagon functionary as saying.
Such a contradiction is not surprising, said Alexander Zhilin, head of the Center for the Study of Public Applied Problems of National Security.
According to the expert, Washington is not interested in stabilizing the conflict in eastern Ukraine or in Kiev's compliance with the Minsk agreements.
“They will arm the APU, they will train terrorists against Russia on the territory of Ukraine, and they will continue to pump Ukraine with Russophobia, unfortunately. These complexes are supplied to be used against the Russian-speaking population of Donbass. The military potential can be used in different ways, but when I hear that Javelin or other equipment is supplied exclusively for defensive purposes, this is hypocrisy, ”said the expert.
At the same time, Vladimir Batyuk believes that from a purely military point of view, Javelin complexes do not give special advantages to the Ukrainian side.
“This serves only as moral and political evidence of the support of Ukraine’s position by the United States and its NATO allies with respect to the conflict in the Donbass. As for the purely political side of this issue, this kind of steps taken by Western partners and their refusal to influence Kiev in terms of more serious steps towards a ceasefire, troop withdrawal, refusal to capture the so-called gray zone - all this really has a negative impact, ”the expert emphasized.
He emphasized that from a tactical point of view, Kiev does not need such a technique.
“This is a political propaganda step. The United States actually makes it clear to the Kiev side that in fact, the obstructionist policy regarding the Minsk agreements is supported by them, and Ukraine should act in the same spirit, ”the political scientist concluded.