BGM-71 TOW
American anti-tank missile / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The BGM-71 TOW ("Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided", pronounced /ˈtoʊ/)[8] is an American anti-tank missile. TOW replaced much smaller missiles like the SS.10 and ENTAC, offering roughly twice the effective range, a more powerful warhead, and a greatly improved semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) that could also be equipped with infrared cameras for night time use.
BGM-71 TOW | |
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Type | Anti-tank missile |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
In service | 1970–present |
Used by | See Operators |
Wars |
|
Production history | |
Designer | Hughes Aircraft Company |
Designed | 1963–1968 |
Unit cost | $93,640 (2B Aero), $54,956 (Bunker Buster) FY2021[5] £8,500 (1984)[6] |
Specifications | |
Length | 1.16–1.17 m with probe folded 1.41–1.51 m with probe extended (some variants have no probe) |
Diameter | 152 mm |
Wingspan | 0.46 m |
Warhead weight | 3.9–6.14 kg (penetration 430–900 mm RHA)[7] |
Operational range | Basic TOW 3,000 m, most variants 3,750 m |
Maximum speed | 278–320 m/s |
Guidance system | Optically tracked, wire-guided (wireless radio-guided in RF variants) |
First produced in 1970, TOW is one of the most widely used anti-tank guided missiles.[9] It can be found in a wide variety of manually carried and vehicle-mounted forms, as well as widespread use on helicopters. Originally designed by Hughes Aircraft in the 1960s, the weapon is currently produced by Raytheon.