August 29, 2014: The Indian Army is looking to the government for a swift decision on whether to move forward with the Pentagon's recent proposal for co-development and co-production of the modified version of the Raytheon-Lockheed Martin JAVELIN shoulder-fired anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system or choose the system it is understood to have initially favoured, the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems SPIKE ATGM. Both systems vie for the lucrative $1.5 billion deal for 8,400 missiles for about 382 infantry battalions. As part of a plan to breathe life into the Indo-US Defence Trade & Technology Initiative (DTTI), visiting US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel had pushed for the JAVELIN, underscoring an earlier offer that not only would technology be transferred for the local production of the JAVELIN system at Bharat Dynamics Ltd, but also that the Rayethon-Lockheed Martin combine would partner the DRDO for a future ATGM programme. A decision is expected to be taken before the end of the year on which way the Indian Army will go.