On April 9, the host of talk-show “Night Studio” of TV Obieqtivi, Nino Ratishvili and online edition “Georgia and the World” (Geworld) publications of April 11 develop the opinion, that the country does not need anti-tank system Javelin acquired by Georgia from USA in 2018 and that it is useless. The author of Geworld material, Beso Barbakadze claimed that Javelin would not be able to strengthen the defensibility of the country and would not be able to become a hindering factor to the Russian intervention. The narrative about the uselessness of Javelins was developed by lieutenant-general Guram Nikolaishvili in an interview with Geworld.
The statement, as if American anti-tank system Javelin is useless for Georgia, is wrong. The anti-tank system is an important component for the strengthening of defensibility of Georgia, whereas Javelin with is technical characteristics is one of the newest and most effective defensive weapons, which is being actively used by USA, NATO member states and its partners.
1. Javelin is one of the newest and most effective defensive weapons.
Javelin is one of the most effective and well-developed defensive weapons. It is an anti-tank, man-portable missile system, which is being used by USA Army and Marine units.
It is outstanding in the accuracy of destruction of a target; by thermal imaging, the missile is capable to guide itself to the target after being launched. (“Fire-and-Forget”).
Moreover, it is convenient to use Javelin in different landscape conditions. It gives a rapid reaction capacity to threat.
Military experts estimate the Javelin, as an American ultra-modern anti-tank system, which Russia does not wish to see near its borders.
2. Javelin is being actively used by USA, NATO member states and its partners.
USA Army and Navy has been using anti-tank system of Javelin type since 1996. USA Military forces successfully used it during the military operation in Iraq in 2003, also in Afghanistan, when accomplishing the COIN strategy during the fight against the Taliban.
The photo gallery of U.S. Department of Defense also confirms the importance of Javelins in modern military exercises of the USA.
Photo. Marine soldiers during the military exercise “Platinum Lion”, Bulgaria, 2016. The exercise united NATO ally country and partner countries with the purpose to strengthen the security of Eastern Europe and regional defense.
Grafenwoehr Training Area
In July 2017, Javelin manufacturer companies, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, got a contract of 10 million dollars from the USA for upgrading the anti-tank system.
Recently, in addition to Georgia, Estonia and Ukraine also got the Javelin from the USA. In addition, Javelin is being possessed by other member states of NATO, for instance, Great Britain, France, Lithuania, Estonia, Czech Republic etc.
22 countries of the world, which possess Javelin.
3. What does Georgia need Javelins for?
According to the National Military strategy of Georgia, the country should strengthen its defensive capacity in order to achieve military goals, as the main priority of the country in this direction is deterrence and ensuring the defense.
Making statements about the uselessness of Javelin and insemination of the narrative, as if ensuring the defensibility of Georgia is not possible even with its strategic partners’ support, aims to incite skepticism towards NATO integration and pro-Western foreign policy course. In recent years, the Kremlin propaganda has been actively turning to insemination of hopelessness, that the West will not be able to protect us and is powerless against the mighty Russia.
Prepared by Ana Chitaladze
