BGM-71 TOW: Difference between revisions

{{Lead too short|date=August 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox weapon

| name = BGM-71 TOW

<!-- Service history -->| service = 1970–present

| used_by = See ''[[#Operators|Operators]]''

*[[Vietnam War]]

*[[Third Indochina War]]

*[[Gulf War|Persian Gulf War]]

*[[War in Somalia (1992–1993)|War in Somalia]]

*[[Iraq War]]

*[[Syrian civil war]]<ref name="France-Soir">{{cite news |url=http://www.francesoir.fr/politique-monde/etat-islamique-comment-les-djihadistes-emploient-les-missiles-antichars-pour-appuyer-offensives-daech-ei-syrie-irak-armement-tactiques-strategie-djihad-chars-propagande-cham-mossoul-bataille |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501121954/http://www.francesoir.fr/politique-monde/etat-islamique-comment-les-djihadistes-emploient-les-missiles-antichars-pour-appuyer-offensives-daech-ei-syrie-irak-armement-tactiques-strategie-djihad-chars-propagande-cham-mossoul-bataille |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 May 2017 |title=Etat islamique: comment les djihadistes emploient les missiles antichars pour appuyer leurs offensives|work=[[France-Soir]]|date=4 May 2017|language=fr|access-date=6 September 2018 }}</ref>

*[[War in Iraq (2013–2017)]]<ref name="France-Soir"/>

*[[Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)|Yemeni Civil War]]

**[[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen]]

*[[2016–2018 India–Pakistan border skirmishes|2016 India-Pakistan Border skirmishes]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://youtube.com/shorts/_rJiUh4D1GA?feature=share | title=Pakistani troops use a BGM-71 TOW to destroy an Indian Bunker | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref>

*[[Conflict in Najran, Jizan and Asir]]

<!-- Production history -->| designer = [[Hughes Aircraft Company]]

| design_date = 1963–1968

}}

 

 

 

==History==

 

==Design==

 

In its basic infantry form, the system breaks down into a number of modules: a folding tripod mount, a launch tube (into the rear of which encased missiles are inserted), a mandatory daylight tracker unit, which can be augmented with an optional AN/TAS-4 or AN/TAS-4/A gas-cooled night sight (or an all-in-one tracker unit on the M41 ITAS version), and a traversing unit, which mounts onto the tripod and carries the launch tube and sight, that also includes the weapon's trigger and the bridging clamp, which mates with the missile's umbilical data connector. In addition to this main assembly, there is a separate fire control system (FCS) module, which performs all guidance calculations, and a battery pack to power the system. These two modules link to each other, with the FCS then linked to the daylight tracker by a cable.

The '''M151''' and '''M220''' launchers are used by infantry, but can also be mounted on a number of vehicles, including the [[M151 MUTT|M151]] [[jeep]], the [[M113 armored personnel carrier|M113 APC]], the [[Humvee|M966 HMMWV]] and the [[Humvee|M1045 HMMWV]] (which replaced the M966). These launchers are theoretically man-portable but are quite bulky. The updated M151 launcher was upgraded to include thermal optics to allow nighttime usage and had been simplified to reduce weight. The M220 was specifically developed to handle the TOW-2 series.

 

 

[[File:M1134 ATGM Vehicle fires TOW missile.jpg|thumb|right|A U.S. Army [[Stryker#Variants|M1134 Stryker]] ATGM carrier at the [[Yakima Training Center]] fires a TOW missile, May 2011]]

 

==Variants==

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

! Designation

|BGM-71D variant; TOW-2B [[top attack|top-down attack]] variant using [[explosively formed penetrator]]s

|1.168&thinsp;m

| no data

| 200–{{convert|4500|m|mi|abbr=on}}{{efn|4,200m for TOW-2B Aero, 3,750&nbsp;m for TOW-2B.}}<ref name="msltow">[http://www.msl.army.mil/Documents/Briefings/CCWS/TOW%20PEO%20Website%20Brief.pdf TOW Weapon System] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407083311/http://www.msl.army.mil/Documents/Briefings/CCWS/TOW%20PEO%20Website%20Brief.pdf |date=7 April 2014}}</ref>

 

[[File:TOW family of missiles.jpg|thumb|left-right{{bulleted list|BGM-71A BASIC|BGM-71C ITOW|BGM-71F TOW 2B|BGM-71D TOW 2|BGM-71E TOW 2A}}]]

 

The time to target at maximum range is 20 seconds, therefore, giving an average speed of 187.5&nbsp;m/s.<ref>[http://archive.gao.gov/d31t10/145879.pdf "U.S. INTELLIGENCE AND SOVIET ARMOR" Paul F. Gorman, page 18] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614143539/http://archive.gao.gov/d31t10/145879.pdf |date=14 June 2007 }}</ref>

*{{TCD}}

*{{COL}}<ref name="IISS2023" />{{rp|391}}

*{{SWZ}}

*{{ETH}}

*{{FIN}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mil.fi/maavoimat/kalustoesittely/00048_en.dsp|title=Puolustusvoimat |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515055248/http://www.mil.fi/maavoimat/kalustoesittely/00048_en.dsp |archive-date=15 May 2007|access-date=20 April 2007}}</ref>

*{{flagdeco|Syria|1932}} [[Free Syrian Army]]<ref name="carter center" />

* [[File:InfoboxHez.PNG|22px|border]] [[Hezbollah]]<ref name="GuidedWeapons">{{cite book |last1=Rigual |first1=Christelle |title=Armed Groups and Guided Light Weapons: 2014 Update with MENA Focus (Research Note 47) |date=15 December 2014 |publisher=Small Arms Survey |page=3 |url=https://www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/armed-groups-and-guided-light-weapons-2014-update-mena-focus-research-note-47 |access-date=13 June 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

*{{HUN}}

*{{IRN}}<ref name="IISS2023" />{{rp|324}} Local production under the name "[[Toophan]]" (طوفان)

*{{JPN}}

*{{JOR}}:<ref name="IISS2023" />{{rp|334}}

*{{KEN}}<ref name=IISS>{{cite book |last=[[International Institute for Strategic Studies]]|date=2021|title=The Military Balance|page=472|publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781032012278}}</ref>

*{{KUW}}<ref name=IISS/>

|archive-date = 11 December 2016

}}</ref>

*{{OMN}}<ref name="OmanTaiwanTOWArmyRecognition">{{cite web|title=Taiwan and Oman order Raytheon's TOW anti-tank guided missile|url=http://armyrecognition.com/may_2018_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/taiwan_and_oman_order_raytheon_s_tow_anti-tank_guided_missile.html|website=Army Recognition|access-date=10 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504163907/http://armyrecognition.com/may_2018_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/taiwan_and_oman_order_raytheon_s_tow_anti-tank_guided_missile.html|archive-date=4 May 2018|date=4 May 2018}}</ref>

*{{PAK}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Foreign_Military_Sale_Pakistan___TOW_2A_Anti_Armor_Guided_Missiles_999.html|title=Foreign Military Sale: Pakistan – TOW-2A Anti-Armor Guided Missiles|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501015620/http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Foreign_Military_Sale_Pakistan___TOW_2A_Anti_Armor_Guided_Missiles_999.html|archive-date=1 May 2011}}</ref>

*{{PHI}}<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-23|title=Manila receives precision-guided missiles from Washington|url=https://mb.com.ph/2020/11/23/manila-receives-precision-guided-missiles-from-washington/|access-date=2020-11-23|website=Manila Bulletin|language=en-US}}</ref>

*{{SAU}}: TOW-2A used by the Army and National Guard.<ref name="IISS2023" />{{rp|351}}

*{{SIN}}

*{{flag|South Korea}}:<ref name="IISS2023" />{{rp|266}} To be replaced by [[Raybolt]]. Still used in [[MD 500 Defender]]{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

*{{flag|Taiwan}}<ref name="OmanTaiwanTOWArmyRecognition"/>

*{{TUN}}<ref name="IISS2023" />{{rp|358}}

*{{TUR}}<ref name="IISS2023" />{{rp|142}}

===Former===

*{{flag|Islamic State}}<ref name ="France-Soir"/>

*{{NED}}: The decision to replace the [[M47 Dragon]] (in use with reconnaissance units) and TOW (in use with mechanized infantry) with the [[Spike (missile)|"Gill MRAT"]]<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.defensie.nl/organisatie/landmacht/materieel/bewapening/gill-antitankraket|title= Gill-antitankraket|author= <!--Not stated-->|website= Defensie.nl|publisher= Ministerie van Defensie|access-date= 2018-02-13|url-status= live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180213195342/https://www.defensie.nl/organisatie/landmacht/materieel/bewapening/gill-antitankraket|archive-date= 13 February 2018}}</ref> was made in 2001, with deliveries expected in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/dossier/27400-X/kst-27400-X-45?resultIndex=6&sorttype=1&sortorder=4|title= nr. 45 BRIEF VAN DE STAATSSECRETARIS VAN DEFENSIE|last= van Hoof|first= H.A.L.|date= 2001-06-22|access-date= 2018-02-13|url-status= live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180213195103/https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/dossier/27400-X/kst-27400-X-45?resultIndex=6&sorttype=1&sortorder=4|archive-date= 13 February 2018}}</ref> The first Gill MRAT was actually issued in 2004 to the [[Regiment van Heutsz]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.dutchdefencepress.com/netherlands-fire-their-first-gill/|title= Netherlands fire their first GILL|last= van Westerhoven|first= Leo|website= Dutch Defence Press|date= 20 May 2004|access-date= 2018-02-13|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180213211044/http://www.dutchdefencepress.com/netherlands-fire-their-first-gill/|archive-date= 13 February 2018|url-status= live}}</ref>

*{{SOM}}: Used during the [[Siad Barre]] era.<ref name="IISS1989">{{cite book |last1=Institute for Strategic Studies |title=The military balance, 1989-1990 |date=1989 |publisher=Brassey's |location=London |isbn=978-0080375694 |page=113 |author1-link=Institute for Strategic Studies }}</ref>

 

==See also==

*[[History of UAVs decoys]]

*[[List of U.S. Army Rocket Launchers By Model Number]]

 

==Notes==

==References==

{{Reflist}}

 

==Sources==

}}

*{{Loccs|country=Yugoslavia|abbr=yu|author=Curtis, Glenn E. (Glenn Eldon) and Library of Congress. Federal Research Division.|section=National Security|date=1992}}

 

==External links==

[[Category:Cold War missiles of the United States]]

[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1970s]]