Ukraine’s Innovative Use of Javelin Warheads on FPV Drones

The Fatum unit, part of the anti-tank division of Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, demonstrated how warheads from the American-made FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank system could be repurposed for use in first-person view (FPV) attack drones, according to a report by Defense Express.

The unit released a video showing the extraction of a missile warhead from its transport-launch container.

“The missile was damaged, making further conventional use impossible,” the Fatum unit reported.

According to Defense Express, given the missile’s inoperable condition, removing the warhead was seen as a practical solution. This isn’t just about a single unit, but two cumulative warheads with a combined weight of 8.4 kg.

Repurposing a non-functional anti-tank missile for its warhead is not a standard procedure. This highlights the need for improvements in the supply of combat units for FPV drones, both anti-tank and anti-personnel, the report read.

Previously, a Ukrainian aerial scout, speaking anonymously to Kyiv Post, commented on the modification of FPV drones equipped with disposable grenade launchers. He suggested that mass production of such technology could reduce injuries among Ukrainian personnel tasked with preparing improvised explosive devices and kamikaze drones.

“Today, the risk of injuries to engineers while equipping kamikaze drones is quite high, but it's not commonly discussed,” the officer told Kyiv Post.

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The FGM-148 Javelin is a portable anti-tank missile system developed by American companies Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.

Equipped with an infrared homing head, the Javelin missile system belongs to the third generation of anti-tank systems. It employs a “fire-and-forget” principle, allowing the missile to adjust its flight path autonomously after launch. This means the operator doesn't need to guide the missile after firing.

The missile has foldable wings and can strike targets from the front or above, where it gains altitude before descending on the target. Combined with a powerful tandem-charge warhead, these features enable the Javelin to penetrate even modern tanks.

The high cost of the Javelin is largely due to its infrared homing head, which uses large-diameter lenses. In 2022, a single missile was priced at approximately $175,000.