DESIGN
For many years the TOW rocket has been the
main anti tank missile of the United States
Army. The first entered service in 1970 and
replaced the French SS.10 and SS.11. ‘TOW’
stands for ‘Tube-launched, Optically-tracked,
Wire-guided’ missile. It is similar to the
European HOT and Russian AT-5. Over 600.000
missiles have been produced. |
| The first TOW to enter service. It was fitted
to a tank destroyer version of the M113 and
to the AH-1 Cobra. |
| This version is identical to the BGM71A,
but has alonger command wire, increasing
its range. |
| The Improved TOW. It has a modified warhead
for betterarmor-penetration and is fitted
with a stand-off probe. |
| The TOW-2 has a larger, better warhead, a
longer nose-probe and improved rocket motor. |
| This is a laser guided version of the TOW-2,
developed by the Israelis. MAPATS stands
for Man Portable Anti-Tank System. |
| This version is similar to the TOW-2, but
has an improved warhead, which is better
at piercing reactive armor. |
| The TOW-2B is a top-attack weapon and therefore
lacks a stand-off probe |
| The Futher Improved TOW is an English upgrade
of the TOW-2B. It is also a top attack weapon,
but can be fired direct at softer targets. |
PERFORMANCE
The TOW is one of the most popular wire-guided
anti-tank weapons. Although being an anti-tank
weapon it can also be used to destroy bunkers
and fortifications. The TOW is almost as
good as the European HOT and is a lot cheaper.
It is able to defeat all known tanks. Only
the best armored tanks can withstand a frontal
hit. Although wire-guidance may seem old-fashioned,
it proved to be a very reliable guidance
system. The TOW is a bit slow for such a
large missile.
USE
- Manpack TOW Launcher
Vehicles
- M151 Jeep
- M966 HMMWV
- M113
- M901 ITV
- AIFV TOW
- Piranha
- LAV-AT
- DARDO Hitfist
- Desert Warrior
- M2 / M3 Bradley
- Jaguar
Helicopters
- MD 500 Defender
- UH-1 Huey
- Gazelle
- Dauphin
- Lynx
- A129 Mangusta
- AH-1 Cobra
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