TOW

TOW
Name	TOW
Origin	United States
Type	Anti-tank guided missile
Service	1970–present
Used by	Various

TOW

TOW is an American anti-armor guided missile system introduced in the 1970s and widely exported and employed by numerous armed forces, insurgent groups, and defense manufacturers. It has participated in Cold War-era deployments and post-Cold War conflicts, influencing anti-vehicle tactics and defense procurement across NATO, the Middle East, and other regions. The system connected developments in guided-missile technology to tactical infantry, mounted, and rotary-wing applications, intersecting with prominent platforms, doctrines, and procurement programs.

Overview

The system emerged amid Cold War procurement by the United States Army, competing with programs managed by U.S. Army Aviation Branch and integrating lessons from projects such as MGM-51 Shillelagh and concepts pioneered during the Korean War and Vietnam War. Adopted for use on vehicles like the M113 and helicopters such as the Boeing AH-64 Apache and Bell OH-58 Kiowa, it interfaced with NATO interoperability initiatives and influenced export decisions by ministries associated with United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, French Armed Forces, and other defense ministries. Its adoption paralleled anti-armor developments in the Soviet Union, where systems like the 9M14 Malyutka and the 9K111 Fagot constituted contemporary threats, prompting tactical adaptations within NATO and allied forces.

Development and Design

Work on the missile traces to contracts awarded to defense contractors including Hughes Aircraft Company and later firms such as Raytheon Technologies and General Dynamics. Early design goals targeted portability comparable to man-portable systems fielded by units akin to U.S. Army Rangers and vehicle integration for brigades like those of the 1st Cavalry Division. The guidance mode adopted a wire-guided command link, evolving from manual command to line-of-sight (MCLOS) antecedents used in systems like the Nord SS.11 and influenced by beam-riding and semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) paradigms used on projects associated with Soviet Union and Israel Defense Forces testing. Warhead options were developed to defeat armor types seen on vehicles comparable to the T-55, T-62, and later reactive armor encountered on T-72 variants, prompting tandem-charge designs in later upgrades.

Operational History

Deployed by formations in theater environments including Yom Kippur War theaters, NATO exercises such as REFORGER, and conflicts like the Iran–Iraq War, the missile saw action with state actors and non-state actors, featuring in engagements in Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. During the Gulf War (1990–1991), units equipped with the system engaged armored formations fielded by elements of the Iraqi Army and coordinated with combined-arms elements from formations like 1st Infantry Division (United States). Use by insurgent elements mirrored patterns seen with other exported systems, as with insurgent employment of systems similar to those used in the Balkans conflicts and referenced in after-action reports by entities such as NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

Variants and Modifications

Manufacturers and national programs produced multiple variants and upgrades through collaborative efforts involving contractors and military labs associated with Sandia National Laboratories and equipment bureaus in countries like Italy and Germany. Variants included baseline tubes for infantry mounts, vehicle-launch configurations for platforms akin to the M2 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle, and airborne kits adapted for rotorcraft comparable to the AH-1 Cobra. Upgrades introduced improved guidance electronics, enhanced seekers paralleling developments in programs like AGM-114 Hellfire, and tandem-charge warheads to defeat explosive reactive armor introduced with vehicles such as variants of the T-72B. Export versions were tailored to end-users including the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, and NATO partners, often with technology-security agreements negotiated with departments like the U.S. Department of Defense.

Technical Specifications

Technical suites for different blocks varied, with guidance characterized by SACLOS wire command in many models and line-of-sight optical trackers similar to systems used on MILAN (missile) platforms. Typical performance specifications for mid-life upgrades included ranges analogous to contemporary systems such as the BGM-71 TOW family, flight profiles comparable to the HOT (missile), and warhead penetration figures stated in defense publications relative to armor standards like those of NATO test protocols. Mobility packages allowed carriage on platforms ranging from light armored vehicles like the HMMWV to tracked vehicles such as the M113 and integration on rotary platforms of types fielded by units like U.S. Army Aviation.

Operators and Service Use

The missile was fielded by dozens of national armed forces spanning continents: NATO members including United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy; Middle Eastern states such as Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia; Asian operators like Japan and South Korea; and other users including Australia, Canada, and various African militaries. Its proliferation followed export approvals coordinated by agencies like the U.S. State Department and influenced procurement choices by ministries similar to Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). Non-state possession paralleled patterns documented in conflicts where systems supplied to governments later were captured or diverted, as occurred in theaters involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other armed groups.

Category:Anti-tank guided missiles