INVESTMENT COMPONENT
Modernization
Recapitalization
Maintenance
Provides long-range, heavy anti-tank and precision assault fire capabilities to Army and Marine forces.
The Close Combat Missile System–Heavy (CCMS-H) TOW (Tube-Launched, Optically Tracked, Wire-Guided) is a heavy anti-tank/precision assault weapon system, consisting of a launcher and a missile. The missile is six inches in diameter (encased, 8.6 inches) and 49 inches long. The gunner defines the aim point by maintaining the sight crosshairs on the target. The launcher automatically steers the missile along the line-of-sight toward the aim point via a pair of control wires or a one-way radio frequency (RF) link, which links the launcher and missile.
TOW missiles are employed on the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)-mounted Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS), HMMWV-mounted M220A4 launcher (TOW 2), Stryker Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Vehicles, and Bradley Fighting Vehicles (A2/A2ODS/A2OIF/A3) within the Infantry, Stryker, and Heavy Brigade Combat Teams, respectively. TOW missiles are also employed on the Marine HMMWV mounted ITAS, HMMWV-mounted M220A4 launcher (TOW 2), LAV-ATGM Vehicle, and AH-1W Cobra attack helicopter. TOW is also employed by allied nations on a variety of ground and airborne platforms.
The TOW 2B Aero is the most modern and capable missile in the TOW family, with an extended maximum range to 4,500 meters. The TOW 2B Aero has an advanced counteractive protection system capability and defeats all current and projected threat armor systems. The TOW 2B Aero flies over the target (offset above the gunner’s aim point) and uses a laser profilometer and magnetic sensor to detect and fire two downward-directed, explosively formed penetrator warheads into the target. The TOW 2B Aero’s missile weighs 49.8 pounds (encased, 65 pounds).
The TOW Bunker Buster (TOW BB) is optimized for performance against urban structures, earthen bunkers, field fortifications, and light-skinned armor threats. The missile impact is at the aim point. It has a 6.25 pound, 6-inch diameter high-explosive, bulk-charge warhead, and its missile weighs 45.2 pounds. The TOW BB has an impact sensor (crush switch) located in the main-charge and gives a pyrotechnic detonation delay to enhance warhead effectiveness. The PBXN-109 explosive is housed in a thick casing for maximum performance. The TOW BB can produce a 21- to 24-inch diameter hole in an 8-inch thick, double reinforced concrete wall at a range of 65 to 3,750 meters.
In this Publication
None
Other Major Interdependencies
M1121/1167 High Mobility
Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
(HMMWV), Stryker Anti-Tank Guided
Missile (ATGM)
ACQUISITION PHASE
Technology Development
Engineering & Manufacturing Development
Production & Deployment
Operations & Support
The TOW weapon system has been sold to more than 43 allied nations over the life of the system
TOW 2B Aero and TOW BB
Prime:
Raytheon Missile Systems (Tucson, AZ)
Control Actuator, Shutter Actuator:
Moog Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT)
Warheads:
Aerojet General (Socorro, NM)
Gyroscope:
BAE Systems (Cheshire, CT)
Sensor (TOW 2B only):
Thales (Basingstoke, United Kingdom)
Flight Motor:
ATK (Rocket Center, WV)
Machined/Fabricated Parts:
Klune (Spanish Fork, UT)
