France Begins Training for Javelin Missile

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France Begins Training for Javelin Missile​

PARIS - French Army instructors will launch their first U.S. Javelin missile for practice on Dec. 16 at the Canjuers base, a step forward in plans to rapidly deploy the weapon in the Afghan theater, a U.S. official said and the French Army has confirmed.

Also, Alain Juppé, the country's new defense minister, is to visit the Canjuers camp and two military schools in Draguignon in southern France on Dec. 15 to inspect the facilities that will prepare troops heading to Afghanistan.

A replacement batch of four Javelin training simulators has been received by the infantry school at Draguignon.

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) procurement rejected the first delivery of four simulator units, the service said. One of the simulators was damaged in transit and the others were deemed to be not in good condition, having being drawn from old U.S. Army stock.

Initial training of 23 Javelin instructors started Dec. 6 at Draguignon and will wrap up Dec. 17, the Army said.

The date for deployment of the Javelins has not yet been set, said Army Col. Thierry Burkhard, spokesman for the Joint Chief of Staff. Troop training and maintenance support in the field are key factors that will decide when the missiles can be sent to Afghanistan, he said.

There has been talk of April, when the next battalion is sent to relieve the present task force unit.

France bought the missile as an interim solution to fill the need for a fire-and-forget weapon to respond to Afghan insurgents firing from the protection of thick stone walls of houses and compounds.

DEFENSE MINISTER VISIT
During Juppé's visit, the Army will stage demonstrations of the VBCI armored vehicle, Leclerc heavy tank, Tiger attack helicopter and Caesar artillery at Canjuers camp, the largest firing range in Europe.

Juppé, appointed on Nov. 15 as defense minister, is also to visit the infantry and artillery schools at Draguignon, where he will visit the training and simulation facilities and meet troops undergoing training.

On July 9, France bought 260 Javelin missiles and 76 launchers from the U.S. government through the Foreign Military Sales program for around $70 million. The Javelin Joint Venture, comprising Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, build the weapon and is providing the training under the FMS contract.

The Javelin is intended as a stopgap measure until France acquires the planned ACMP (anti-char moyenne portée) medium-range anti-tank missile in 2015 to replace the Milan weapon built by European missile-maker MBDA.

The new weapon is intended to be an off-the-shelf purchase of a missile supplied under leadership of a French contractor, adapting a foreign weapon, in a cooperation deal.

That has left the door open for the Javelin joint venture and Rafael of Israel to pursue the contract for the Milan replacement, which is estimated at 3,000 new missiles and 500 launchers.

MBDA believes it can supply a domestic product without relying on U.S. or Israeli technology. MBDA displayed its missile moyenne portée (MMP) concept at the Eurosatory trade show in June, teaming with Safran's Sagem for the electro/optical seeker and firing post.

France Begins Training for Javelin Missile - Defense News