Pictures Don't Lie: The Javelin Missile Is As Bad Ass As It Looks This weapon is one of the finest. It is advanced and is feared by many tank commanders around the world. Here's What You Need to Remember: The Javelin doesn’t look as sleek and deadly as its name would have you think—it resembles a clunky dumbbell slightly over one meter in length. Fortunately, you don’t need good looks to blow up a tank. The U.S.-made FGM-148 Javelin is one of the premier portable anti-tank missile systems in the world. It’s also an expensive piece of kit, with each missile typically costing more than the targets it eliminates.