Friday, October 10, 2008

BGM-71 TOW

IOC: 1970
Total Production: 612,462

BGM-71D TOW 2

IOC: 1985
Production: 80,000

Origin
United States of America

Contractor/s
Raytheon

Applications
AH-1W Super Cobra
Battlefield Lynx
Cobra APC
LAV
M2A2 Bradley
M2A3 Bradley
M3A2 Bradley
M3A3 Bradley
M41 ITAS
M7 BFIST
M901
Puma 4x4
Puma 6x6
VBL
VCC 80 Dardo

Family Members
BGM-71A TOW
BGM-71C ITOW
BGM-71E TOW 2A
BGM-71F TOW 2B
BGM-71G TOW

Description: The BGM-71 TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked and Wire-guided) missiles are designed to accurately destroy armored vehicles, fortifications and bunkers from safe ranges. Raytheon has produced more than 600,000 TOW missiles over the last 30 years for more than 40 international armed forces around the globe. The TOW missiles have been integrated in more than 15,000 ground vehicles and helicopters.

The TOW was introduced in 1970 and can be fired by the infantry (4 men) using a tripod, ground vehicles (HMMWV, M2) and helicopters (AH-1 Cobra). It is a wire guided weapon with a range in excess of 3,000 meters. The TOW's CLU (Command Launch Unit) allows operations in all weather day or night conditions, after the firing the gunner must keep the sight on the target to ensure the impact.

The TOW missile was widely used during the Vietnam (1970s) war, the Iran-Iraq (1980-88) war, the Desert Storm (1991) operation and most recently during the Iraqi Freedom (2003) operation.

The BGM-71D TOW 2 was delivered in the middle 1980s incorporating improved propellant, improved operation in obscurants presence and a wider warhead over the BGM-71C model.

Specifications
Dimensions: Diameter 152 mm, Length 1,160 mm

Weights: Max Weight 21.4 kg (47.2 lb), Warhead 3.1 kg (6.9 lb)

Performance: Max Range 3,750 m (12,303 ft), Top Speed 329 mps (Mach 0.99)

Operators

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Canada

Finland

Germany

Italy

United Kingdom

United States of America

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Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Friday, October 10, 2008

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