From Vietnam to Ukraine: how TOW missiles have been taking out Russian tanks

Contents

1. What is the BGM-71 TOW
2. Experience with the TOW ATGM
3. TOW anti-tank missiles in Ukraine
4. How the BGM-71 TOW works
5. Technical specifications of the TOW/TOW2 ATGM
6. Javelin or TOW

What is the BGM-71 TOW

The BGM-71 TOW is an American heavy anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). It was developed by Hughes Aircraft and adopted by the U.S. Army in 1970. Simultaneously, two variants of missile systems (ATGMs) for its launch were developed: ground-based and air-based. Since then, approximately 650,000 missile systems of various modifications have been produced, making the TOW one of the most widely used systems on the planet.

The missile is command-guided, semi-automatic, operated by an operator, with control carried out via a wired connection (in the latest modification, via a radio channel). Its name derives from its operational principles: launched from a container, optically sighted, and wire-guided (TOW – Tube-launched, Optically-sighted, Wire-guided).

Photo: x.com/MonteroMax

Experience with the TOW ATGM

The TOW is in service with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps and is the primary anti-tank guided weapon of the U.S. armed forces, several European countries, Israel, and other nations. According to the portal Militarnyi, the system is in service in over 40 countries worldwide. Among NATO member countries, it has been adopted by the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, and others.

"The first combat use of the TOW occurred during the Vietnam War in 1972, where, during the North Vietnamese offensive, the U.S. Army unexpectedly faced the need to counter a large amount of Soviet-made armored vehicles," the BBC reports. A certain number of systems fell into the hands of the USSR and its allies as trophies.

Over the past half-century, the TOW has been used in most major wars. This includes the Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War of 1991, operations in Somalia in 1993, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the early 21st century. In many of these conflicts, the targets for the TOW were tanks and other Soviet- and Russian-made armored vehicles.

This was also the case in Syria, where TOW ATGMs were used by rebels against the Assad regime. They did so with great success, according to the head of the Come Back Alive foundation, Taras Chmut. He called the system "one of the most successful ATGMs used in dozens of countries."

"It proved itself very effectively in the war in Syria over the last 10 years. Probably thousands of Assad’s soldiers were burned and destroyed along with equipment or in buildings. In Syria, the TOW was used against anything possible, including infantry," Taras Chmut said.

Photo: root-nation

TOW anti-tank missiles in Ukraine

Proposals to strengthen Ukraine with proven TOW anti-tank systems were voiced even before the full-scale invasion. 

HMMWV off-road vehicles and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles with TOW-2 anti-tank missiles, along with several hundred additional Javelins, could be an effective way to counter the Russian threat in Ukraine. This was stated by American military expert Dr. Phillip A. Karber in an interview with 19fortyfive. He emphasized that 500 HMMWV off-road vehicles and Bradley IFVs equipped with TOW-2 could become a "quick and effective way to deal with the Russian threat" in Donbas. Furthermore, Karber noted that the U.S. Marine Corps is replacing its HMMWVs with newer models, and the U.S. Army is placing Bradleys into storage. However, at the time, Defense Express described the transfer of this weaponry to Ukraine as "highly unlikely."

Everything changed after the start of the full-scale war. On August 19, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a new aid package for Ukraine, which included 1,500 heavy TOW anti-tank missiles.

The first reports of the system's combat use appeared publicly within a month. Videos surfaced on social media showing TOW systems mounted, following U.S. practice, on military HMMWV off-road vehicles. At the time, Defense Express called this "one of the best combinations." Additionally, a BGM-71 TOW mounted on an HMMWV M1167 chassis in desert camouflage appeared in videos during the Kherson counteroffensive.

Experts consider the combination of TOW and Bradley IFVs even better. This configuration is also used by the Defense Forces. For instance, in the summer of 2023, a Bradley IFV destroyed a Russian tank in Zaporizhzhia using an anti-tank missile system, according to Militarnyi.

After transferring missiles to Ukraine, the U.S. government allocated $348 million for TOW anti-tank missiles and components manufactured in California, Arizona, and Utah. Subsequently, the U.S. announced additional deliveries of TOW missiles to Ukraine several times, including in August 2023 and December of the same year. On December 12, 2024, American ATGMs were again included in the list of aid for the Defense Forces.

Serhii Zgurets, director of the Defense Express information-consulting company, suggested in a column for Espreso that the transfer of this equipment might be explained by dwindling supplies of Ukrainian-made Stugna systems.  

How the BGM-71 TOW works

The ATGM can be used with a portable launcher or mounted on mobile platforms: various vehicles and armored vehicles, including the M1046 HMMWV, Bradley IFVs, the specialized M901 ITV self-propelled system, and helicopters such as the American AH-1 Cobra and British AH-1 Lynx.

The need to mount the ATGM on a platform is due to its significant weight—70 kg (plus 21–23 kg for each missile). It is difficult to transport manually, so to increase the system's mobility, it is mounted on off-road vehicles or Bradley IFVs.

The anti-tank missile system consists of three main components:

• A transport-launch container with a missile.
• A launcher with an optical sighting system used for observation and missile targeting.
• A guidance system.

Photo: root-nation

After firing, the operator must guide the missile to the target using a laser beam, with control carried out via a fiber-optic wire that connects the missile to the control device. There are TOW modifications with radio-command transmission, but these are designed for helicopter armament.

"After launch, the missile deploys wings during flight, which help maintain stability and control its trajectory. Upon impact, the missile’s detonator activates, triggering its cumulative warhead, which penetrates the armor," explains Militarnyi.

Modern TOW versions are equipped with powerful thermal imaging sights and laser rangefinders, simplifying target detection and guidance.

"Armor penetration is up to 900 mm behind reactive armor, allowing it to effectively counter any enemy armored vehicles. Another logical role for TOW in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is to combat enemy firing points," describes Defense Express.

The launch range depends on the version. The TOW-2A, with a traditional tandem cumulative warhead capable of penetrating 900 mm behind reactive armor, has a range of 3.75 km. The TOW-2B variant, with a shaped charge for overflight attacks, reaches 4.5 km.

Technical specifications of the TOW/TOW2 ATGM

• Missile length: 1.17–1.45 m  
• Diameter: 0.15 m  
• Wingspan: 0.45 m  
• Launcher weight: 70 kg  
• Firing rate: 2 shots/min  
• Firing range: 3–4.5 km  
• Armor penetration: 430–900 mm  
• Speed: 300 m/s  
• Missile weight: 19–22.6 kg  
• Warhead weight: 3.9–6 kg  

Javelin or TOW

Next-generation anti-tank systems, like Javelins, are gradually replacing the TOW system. The advantages of newer models include, notably, the "fire-and-forget" principle. In contrast, TOW missiles require the operator to guide them to the target with a laser beam until impact.  

However, TOW remains a key component of anti-tank defenses in dozens of countries for good reason. In certain parameters, these proven missiles surpass newer systems. For example, in range—Javelin reaches only 2.5 km, while TOW exceeds 4 km.

"Yes, the operator has to continuously guide the missile, which is more challenging. The missile does not self-direct to the top projection and is wire-guided, requiring an open area for guidance. But there are advantages: the missile is more reliable, easier to maintain, does not depend on battery status, and can be aimed precisely at the object the operator is guiding it toward, not just at contrasting heat," wrote military analyst and Censor.net editor Yuriy Butusov.

He also emphasized that the most widely used ATGM in NATO countries is not the Javelin but the American TOW-2.

The final factor is cost. While a Javelin missile costs about $200,000, a TOW missile is approximately four times cheaper.