The U.S. Army awarded the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) a $215 million production contract for Lightweight Command Launch Units (LWCLU), the next-generation launcher for the Javelin weapon system, according to a press release from RTX (NYSE: RTX).

The JJV is a partnership between Raytheon, an RTX business based in Tucson, Arizona, and Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The contract follows the JJV's first delivery of LWCLUs to the Army five months prior.

The LWCLU is 30% smaller and 25% lighter than the current Block I Command Launch Unit, and doubles target detection and recognition capability. The launcher is designed to be compatible with all current, past, and future Javelin missile variants, and offers both day and night engagement capability.

"This contract reflects the strong partnership between industry and the Army to sustain and advance the Javelin system," said Jenna Hunt Frazier, JJV president and Javelin program director at Raytheon.

Rich Liccion, vice president of JJV and program director at Lockheed Martin Javelin, said the award reflects "what we can accomplish when innovation is driven by purpose and a relentless focus on the mission we support."

To date, the JJV has produced more than 55,000 Javelin missiles and more than 12,000 reusable Command Launch Units.