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Shepard Says Malaysia Bought Javelins, Updated

Soldiers from 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment fire a Javelin Weapon System during a main defensive position live-fire battle on Exercise Diamond Run 2017. *** Local Caption *** Australian Army soldiers from 7th Combat Brigade’s Battle Group Ram completed delay, block and assault live-fire missions to wrap up Exercise Diamond Run at Shoalwater Bay from 4-7 November 2017. Battle Group Ram consisted of infantry from 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank troop from 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) and support from a number of other units including 1st Military Police Battalion and 7th Signal Regiment. Exercise Diamond Run aimed to evaluate the foundation war fighting skills of 7th Combat Brigade soldiers and was held between 14 October – 8 November 2017 at the Shoalwater Bay training area.

SHAH ALAM: Shepard says Malaysia Bought Javelins. Shepard Media – a UK based aerospace, defence and security industry publication – is claiming that Malaysia has purchased the Raytheon FGM-148 Javelin anti tank guided missile. In its subscriber only part of its website it claimed that Malaysia were among the countries that purchased the Javelin. The site says Malaysia purchased 60 missiles.

# Shepard has removed the entry from the database as off Sept. 13, 2018. ED

I do not have susbcribtion to the Shepard Media website but its editor had kindly put up a screenshot of the Javelin page which listed Malaysia as one of the countries that had purchased the missile.

The screenshot of the Shepard Media page which says Malaysia bought the Javelin.

Perhaps Shepard got the information from the manufacturer about Malaysia buying the Javelin. It is not like that we know about every purchases the Defence Ministry makes. There was no heads up when we bought the LAW, MAPAM and even the NLAW

A Javelin missile being fired.

I was told sometime back that as an advanced ATGW, the Javelin must be purchased through the Foreign Military Sale program, resulting in a sale notice via the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. I checked the DSCA website and there is no notice of a Javelin sale to Malaysia.

It had a notice from 2012 which states:

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress November 15 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Indonesia for 180 Block I Javelin Missiles and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $60 million.

An Australian Army team fires a Javelin laser-guided missile during Exercise Predator’s Gallop in Cultana training area on 24 March 2016. COA picture

As the notice was six years old, it is likely that Indonesia had taken delivery of the missiles. It is interesting to note that the Wikipedia Javelin page did not list Malaysia as a user though Indonesia correctly listed though with 189 missiles.

I believed Shepard made a mistake in this instance though I stand to be corrected of course.

Edited to add Shepard had removed the entry from its database confirming my earlier hint that it was wrong.

— Malaysian Defence

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