TOW Missile: Five Decades of Anti-Tank Dominance – History, Variants & Performance

Overview of the TOW Missile System

The BGM-71 TOW (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided) missile is a U.S. origin anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system that has been in continuous service since 1970. Conceived in the 1960s by Hughes Aircraft and now produced by RTX (formerly Raytheon), the TOW has seen extensive deployment across terrestrial, vehicular, and rotary platforms.

Historical Evolution & Combat Use

Development of the TOW began in 1963, with the production contract awarded in 1968 and initial deliveries by August 1969. First deployed in combat during the Vietnam War in 1972, it marked the U.S. military’s first use of an American-made missile system under wartime conditions.

The TOW subsequently saw combat in an array of global conflicts, including the Iran–Iraq War, Lebanese Civil War, Soviet–Afghan War, the 1982 Lebanon War, Operation Desert Storm, Iraq War, Syria, Ukraine, and myriad Middle East theaters. Coalition forces heavily relied on TOW systems in the Gulf War, mounting them on HMMWVs, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and helicopter platforms—with reports of remarkable performance such as penetrating multiple armor layers and destroying targets beyond expectations.

Variants & Technical Enhancements

Over its lifespan, TOW has evolved significantly:

• BGM-71A/B (Basic TOW): Initial versions, with ranges of ~3,000 m (A) and 3,750 m (B), penetration of around 430 mm RHA.
• BGM-71C (I-TOW): Introduced mid-1980s, featuring improved shaped-charge warheads and standoff probes for greater impact.
• BGM-71D (TOW-2): Debuted 1984, enhanced electronics and warhead capable of penetrating 800–900 mm RHA.
• BGM-71E (TOW-2A): Tandem warhead designed to defeat ERA (explosive reactive armor); penetration up to 900–1,020 mm RHA.
• BGM-71F (TOW-2B): Arrived 1993 with improved countermeasures resistance and an over-fly top attack mode using explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) aimed at weaker rooftop armor.
• Aero and RF variants: Extended-range (~4.5 km) and radio-frequency guidance (TOW-2B Aero, Aero RF), introduced in early 2000s.

These variants underpin the system’s longevity; over 700,000 units have been produced and deployed across more than 40 armed forces and 15,000 platforms worldwide.

Performance & Future Outlook

TOW’s guidance uses a wire-link SACLOS system—operators maintain the crosshairs on target while the missile corrects its path automatically, providing high first-round hit probability in clear conditions. The system reliably proved effective in major conflicts, including the Gulf War, where dazzler countermeasures failed to degrade its performance.

Raytheon continues upgrades to meet modern requirements—boosting propulsion, improving top-down strikes, and extending lifecycle beyond 2050. Yet, not all deployments are flawless. Taiwan’s recent exercises highlighted accuracy issues, with only 7 of 17 TOW-2A missiles hitting targets—prompting a doctrinal reassessment.

4. Context & Analysis
While the TOW system remains a stalwart in Western and allied arsenals, the advent of drone warfare, active protection systems, and newer ATGMs (e.g., fire-and-forget or multi-mode seekers) may challenge its relevance. Its manually guided nature demands operator skill and line-of-sight—limiting effectiveness under electronic warfare or visual-obscurant conditions. Yet, the ongoing enhancements keep TOW viable for decades to come.

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