TOW missile

TOW missile
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amber Robinson. · Public domain · source
Name	TOW missile
Origin	United States
Type	Anti-tank guided missile
Service	1970–present
Used by	See Operators and Deployment Platforms
Wars	See Operational Use and Combat History
Designer	Hughes Aircraft Company
Manufacturer	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Raytheon Technologies, Boeing
Weight	Varies by variant
Length	Varies by variant
Diameter	Varies by variant
Wingspan	Varies by variant
Speed	Varies by variant
Vehicle range	Varies by variant
Filling	High-explosive anti-tank or tandem-charge warheads
Guidance	Wire-guided, radio-guided, or fiber-optic-guided systems depending on variant

TOW missile

The Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) family is an American-designed anti-armor guided missile system developed during the Cold War and fielded from 1970 onward. Intended to defeat contemporary main battle tanks and fortifications, the system has been produced and upgraded by multiple defense firms and adopted by numerous states and non-state actors across conflicts in Vietnam War, Yom Kippur War, Lebanese Civil War, Iran–Iraq War, Falklands War, Gulf War, Iraq War, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Known for its modular architecture, the weapon has influenced other guided-weapon programs and remains in active service with many armed forces and security organizations.

Development and Design

Development began in the 1960s when United States Army requirements sought an infantry-portable, crew-served anti-armor system to complement systems like the M72 LAW and the BGM-71 TOW program (name not linked here per constraints). The original design contract was awarded to Hughes Aircraft Company, leveraging technology from earlier projects in guided munitions and optics pioneered during programs associated with Bell Laboratories and Massachusetts Institute of Technology research. Prototypes were tested at ranges such as the White Sands Missile Range and evaluated at Aberdeen Proving Ground before acceptance into service. The basic launcher, missile, and sighting unit architecture emphasized modularity to allow integration with armored vehicles like the M113 and turreted platforms such as the M60 Patton.

Variants and Upgrades

Over its service life, the TOW family spawned multiple variants and upgrade kits produced by contractors including Raytheon Technologies, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Boeing. Early models evolved into the improved TOW 2 and TOW 2A/2B families, incorporating enhanced penetration and countermeasure resistance tested during evaluations at Yuma Proving Ground and Fort Benning (now Fort Moore). Later developments introduced the TOW 2B Aero, designed for extended range and improved flight stability, and the TOW-IT/Improved TOW-2 (ITOW) upgrades focusing on reliability for platforms like the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, M2/M3 Bradley, and export vehicles including the Centauro and AMX-30. International cooperation led to licensed production and integration programs with firms in Israel, Italy, United Kingdom, and Japan.

Guidance, Warhead, and Performance

Guidance evolved from the original wire-guided, optically tracked line-of-sight method to include variants with radio guidance and fiber-optic links, adapting tactics tested alongside systems such as the MILAN missile and the BGM-71 TOW family’s contemporaries. Warhead options include high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and tandem-charge configurations intended to defeat explosive reactive armor as fielded on vehicles like the T-72 and T-80 series. Performance parameters—such as maximum effective range, time-of-flight, and armor penetration—varied across upgrades, and later models were benchmarked against threat assessments from the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact equipment during evaluations at facilities referenced by NATO committees and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Guidance improvements addressed countermeasures used by platforms such as the BMP-2 and defensive suites inspired by NATO interoperability requirements.

Operational Use and Combat History

The system saw early deployment in Cold War contingencies and was combat-proven in the Lebanon conflict and Iran–Iraq War where it was used against armor and fortifications. It featured prominently in the Gulf War during anti-armor engagements involving Iraq’s T-72 tanks and in urban and rural battles of the Iraq War (2003–2011). Non-state actors procured launcher systems and missiles during the Syrian Civil War and Libyan Civil War, affecting force composition in campaigns involving Free Syrian Army factions and Libya’s various militias. More recently, the missile family has been documented in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where it has been used by both regular forces and irregular units to engage armored vehicles, fortifications, and technicals. Combat records cite engagements in theaters such as Kuwait, Basra, Fallujah, Aleppo, and around Donetsk Oblast.

Operators and Deployment Platforms

Operators range from NATO members like the United States and United Kingdom to non-NATO states including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran (pre-revolution procurement and post-revolution captures), Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, and numerous others across Africa, Asia, and South America. Deployment platforms include infantry-mounted tripods, vehicle-integrated launchers on platforms such as the M113, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, HMMWV, Stryker variants with missile integrations, and helicopter and naval adaptations evaluated for platforms like the AH-1 Cobra series and patrol craft. Export and license-production arrangements involved defense ministries and contractors from countries including Italy, Japan, Germany, and South Korea.

Category:Anti-tank missiles