What is the US Anti-Tank Weapon?

▶

The US anti-tank weapon is the Javelin, a portable, fire-and-forget, anti-tank guided munition that can be carried and launched by a single person, and is made by the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. The Javelin is considered the world’s premier shoulder-fired anti-armor system, capable of automatically guiding itself to the target after launch, allowing the gunner to take cover and avoid counterfire.

Understanding the Javelin and Its Capabilities

The Javelin is designed to strike in a top-attack mode, targeting the weakest point of a vehicle’s armor, and is effective against main battle tanks and low-flying helicopters. Its high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead can defeat modern tanks by attacking from above, where their armor is thinnest.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQs About the Javelin and Anti-Tank Warfare

1. What is the most effective anti-tank weapon? The FGM-148 Javelin is one of the most advanced man-portable anti-tank guided missile systems in the world, capable of destroying any current main battle tank and targeting low-flying helicopters.
2. What can stop a tank missile? Armor systems, such as slat armor or reactive armor, can be effective against ATGM strikes by deforming the missile warhead or fusing to prevent proper detonation.
3. Can a Javelin destroy an Abrams? Yes, a FGM-148 Javelin should be able to defeat nearly all main battle tanks, including the M1 Abrams, by striking in a top-attack mode where the armor is weakest.
4. How powerful is the Javelin anti-tank missile? The Javelin’s warheads can penetrate steel up to 23.5 inches to 31.5 inches thick, with an effective range of over 1.5 miles.
5. Has an enemy ever destroyed an Abrams? No M1s were lost to enemy tank fire during the Gulf War, although some took minor combat damage, and seven were destroyed by friendly fire.
6. Can a US tank withstand a Javelin missile? It depends on the variant and where the tank is hit; the Javelin can easily destroy every tank on the battlefield if used in top-attack mode.
7. What happens when a Javelin missile hits a tank? The Javelin’s HEAT warhead can defeat modern tanks by top-down attack, hitting them from above where their armor is thinnest.
8. Can you stop a tank with a grenade? AT grenades are unable to penetrate the armor of modern tanks, but may still damage lighter vehicles.
9. Can an Abrams tank survive a RPG? Most RPG-7 rounds cannot penetrate M1 Abrams tank armor from almost any angle, making it primarily effective against soft-skinned or lightly armored vehicles.
10. Why are anti-tank guns no longer used? Towed anti-tank guns disappeared from most Western countries after World War II, replaced by shoulder-fired rocket launchers, recoilless rifles, and eventually, guided anti-tank missiles.
11. Why are anti-tank guns obsolete? The increasing thickness of tank armor made all infantry anti-tank weapons obsolete, as kinetic-energy weapons that could penetrate tank armor became too heavy and produced too much recoil to be fired from the shoulder.
12. Why aren’t anti-tank guns used anymore? Missiles have become more practical and effective overall, while anti-tank guns are harder to move, more easily damaged, and likely to be abandoned with their ammunition if overrun by infantry.
13. Can I shoot a tank in the US? Yes, at DriveTanks.com, located on Ox Ranch in Uvalde, TX, you can drive and shoot real tanks, artillery, and machine guns.
14. Does Russia have a Javelin equivalent? Yes, Russia has the 9M133 Kornet, a man-portable anti-tank guided missile that is the Russian equivalent of the American Javelin.
15. Can anything stop a tank? The 6-to-12-millimeter thick armor of early tanks could be penetrated by small arms fire and shell fragments, and even a near miss from field artillery or an impact from a mortar could easily disable or destroy the tank.