260 Javelin missiles will be purchased from the United States by France as it has decided to look into a major upgrade of its tank and armored vehicle fleet.

Defensenews. com has reported that produced by a consortium of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, Paris will spend some $70 million on the missiles, together with 76 launchers.

The Javelin is a fire-and-forget anti-tank missile that can be launched by a single soldier. Equipped with an imaging infrared seeker, the missile reaches a peak altitude of 500 feet and is also able to engage helicopters.

Saying the Javelins would be delivered this year, French Defense Minister Herve Morin announced the missile purchase at a news conference this week.

Defensenews. com further writes that the deal comes after a period of intense competition between Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Washington to supply French forces in Afghanistan with "a relatively small batch of missiles but one that is expected to prepare the way for a larger acquisition in the medium term."

Another major investment decision, namely to launch the study phase of the French army's Scorpion modernization program, was also announced by Morin in the same news conference.

The program is due to outfit several of the French army's joint battle groups with new armored vehicles and a single communications system by 2020.

Purchase of nearly 1,000 armored multi-role vehicles, or VMBR, 70 light tanks and a modernization of the Leclerc battle tanks is envisioned by it.

With vehicle deliveries starting three years later, the purchasing program is scheduled to be launched in 2012. (With Input from Agencies)