Key Points: The BGM-71 TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided) missile system remains a versatile and effective anti-tank weapon, widely used across more than 40 militaries globally.
-Despite lacking fire-and-forget capabilities like the Javelin, the TOW excels in multi-role scenarios, capable of destroying tanks, bunkers, and emplacements.
-Mounted on vehicles like Bradleys or helicopters, it offers superior range and armor penetration, with advanced variants like the TOW 2B targeting tanks from above.
-In Ukraine, TOW systems have proven invaluable, especially when mounted on HUMVEEs. Easy to train and deploy, the TOW remains a key asset in modern warfare, capable of turning enemy armor into ruins.
For All-Around Versatility, You Can’t Beat the TOW Missile System
Without anti-tank missiles, the war in Ukraine would have been totally different. The defenders eliminated thousands of Russian tanks with anti-tank guide munitions, and it would have been difficult to keep Kyiv from falling in the early days of the Russian invasion without the Javelin anti-tank weapons and other advanced models such as the NLAW or the Skif/Stugna-P. The TOW system is one older anti-tank launcher that is not getting its due.
How Does It Compare to the Javelin?
The BGM-71 TOW (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided) definitely earned its stripes during the war in Ukraine. Unlike the Javelin, the operator has to sight the TOW all the way to paydirt.
Javelin missile firing.
The Javelin, on the other hand, is a fire-and-forget model, where the soldier can pop out of a trench, trigger the launcher, and move back to a covered and concealed position.
Multi-role Weapon That Is Widespread and Used in Dozens of Armies
Despite the differences, the TOW is still valuable. According to Army-Technology.com, the “weapon system is used in anti-armor, anti-bunker, anti-fortification and anti-amphibious landing roles. TOW is in service with more than 40 armed forces and is integrated on over 15,000 ground, vehicle and helicopter platforms worldwide.”
The TOW has enjoyed a long service life and is popular worldwide. It made its debut in 1970, and over the years, over 700,000 launchers were delivered to the U.S. Army alone.
Put It On an Armored Vehicle and Watch Enemy Tanks Die
While the TOW can be fired from the ground with a tripod, the modern launchers are equipped with armored vehicles. Stryker and Bradley fighting vehicles come with TOWs, and the Bradleys sent to Ukraine have been effective against Russian tanks when firing the erstwhile anti-tank system.
U.S. Army Soldiers from Delta Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), fire the TOW missile system during a live fire at Fort Campbell, Ky. Oct. 24, 2018. (U.S. Army Photo by Capt. Justin Wright)
Surprisingly, TOWs can also be deployed on several different helicopters, including the UH-1 Huey and the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter.
Just Aim and Shoot
For infantry soldiers on the ground, the TOW is easy to operate. Simply aim the telescopic sight at the enemy vehicle or bunker and fire the missile. The operator must continue to view and track the target with the sight. There is no fire-and-forget capability, as explained above. The wire-guided guidance computer then takes over. The two-stage solid propellant rocket motor sends the missile to destroy the enemy tank or fighting position. The ground-launched TOW has a range of a minimum of 213 feet and a maximum of 12,000 feet.
New Variants Can Penetrate Improved Armor
To knock out even more tanks, the TOW 2A has a tandem warhead to demolish reactive armor and a penetrating shaped charge that can go through 35 inches of rolled homogenous armor. It also has a “bunker busting” feature that is effective in trench warfare or urban combat.
Arced Launch Can Take Out Tanks from Above
Most TOWs are horizontally fired direct-attack munitions. But the TOW 2B can fly up above the tank and zoom down to attack the turret, where tank protection is reduced with lighter armor. These are the most valuable models in warfare, and the Ukrainians love this variant. There is even a TOW 2B RF anti-tank missile that uses a stealthy radio-frequency command link and does not need the wire-guided requirement of other TOWs.
The Ukrainians have found a way to attach their TOWs to HUMVEEs, which has proven fruitful against Russian tanks and emplacements.
Another Way to Foil the Russians
The TOW is highly versatile and is even more valuable to some armies than the Javelin and the NLAW because it can be attached to vehicles. Russian tanks are surprised at the TOW’s range and powerful armor-piercing capabilities. Without this system, the Ukrainians would have struggled against Russia’s armor.
It is also easy to train new soldiers on the TOW. This is important due to all the new soldiers rotating to the frontlines. These rookies are not highly trained to begin with, and they need anti-tank weapons that are simple to use.
Whether it is shot on the ground, from an armored vehicle, or a helicopter, the TOW remains a go-to weapon and will continue to be effective in the war in Ukraine. Modern armored warfare has changed because of anti-tank weapons like the TOW.
The United States should send more launchers and TOW missiles to the front so the Ukrainians can watch additional Russian tanks turn into burning hunks of metal.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
