BGM-71 TOW Anti-tank missile | WIRE GUIDED WONDER
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- The BGM-71 TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided) is a heavy anti-tank missile. It was developed by Hughes Aircraft Company during the mid and late 1960s. It was designed both for ground and heliborne applications. Production contract was awarded in 1968. First fielded in the 1970, the TOW is one of the most widely used anti-tank guided missiles in the world. Over 650 000 of these missiles have been made. It is still going strong after nearly forty-five years of service. Currently the TOW anti-tank missile and its variants are used by more than 45 countries around the world.
In 1997 the Hughes Aircraft Company was taken over by Raytheon. So development and production of this anti-tank missile now comes under Raytheon brand.
The TOW has destroyed tanks, mostly Russian, during the war in Vietnam, the Arab-Israeli Wars, the Iran-Iraq War, Gulf War, and now Syria. It proved itself as a very effective weapon.
In the basic infantry form the TOW launcher is mounted on a portable tripod. The missile is carried in a sealed container. It is clipped to the launcher before the launch. This weapon is serviced by a crew of three soldiers, including commander, gunner and assistance gunner. The launcher can be disassembled and transported by the crew. The TOW launchers are typically used by separate anti-tank companies for heavy anti-armor work.
The original missiles are wire-guided. First production missiles had a maximum range of 3 000 m. Although it was estimated, that the basic TOW missile could penetrate 500-600 mm or Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA), according to now unclassified study it penetrates only 430 mm.
The TOW missile has semi-automatic guidance. It is not a fire-and-forget type weapon. It requires the shooter to keep the target in the line of sight until the missile impacts. Once the missile is launched the optical sensor on the sight continuously monitors the position of missile in relation to the target. The sensor corrects the trajectory of the missile by sending electrical signals that are passed on by two wires. The communication by wires with the missile can not be jammed by the enemy. The latest missiles of the TOW are produced both with wire- and wireless guidance. These newer wireless missiles require no special alterations to the launcher.
The TOW launcher is widely carried on various vehicles, and even helicopters. The launcher can be mounted on HMMWVs. It is employed as the main anti-tank weapon by M2 infantry fighting vehicle and M3 Bradley cavalry fighting vehicle. Also there are dedicated anti-tank missile carriers, based on the Stryker (M1134) and LAV-25 (LAV-AT). The M1134 is used by the US Army, while the LAV-AT is used by the US Marine Corps. Also there is an obsolete M901 anti-tank missile carrier, based on the M113 armored personnel carrier chassis, that is still in used by some countries.
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BGM-71 TOW Anti-tank missile | WIRE GUIDED WONDER
what if i trip on the wire like i do on every damn wire
oops
Then it’ll feel like if your profile picture would shoot you.
Human Fall Down
Biko - Bruh Moments Inc. ah yes. The feeling of vaporization
I fear no man, but that thing [insert image of KV-2], it scares me.
Every one asking where is the missile, what is a missile, why the missile, but never how is the missile
@@ugur747 but I'd you know where you isn't then you know where you are
It was designed for that question to never be answered.
@@mathewa.4032 Designed to not be answered, but desperately in the need of an answer...like a replicant looking for his mother
It knows where it is because it knows where it isn't
"Sad ATGM noises"
I was a 27E Tow/Dragon Missle Sys Repairmen early 80s. During my training the Night Site had recently been released for the TOW Package. My class (of 3) was one of the very first to train in the repair and calibration of the Nite Site. The TOW is a very impressive, compact and deadly anti-tank system.
I WAS A 27 ECHO IN 1987 TOFTOY HALL THEN SYSTEMS IT WAS A LONG BRAIN CHALLEGING SCHOOL I HAVE ONLY MET 2 27 ECHOES SINCE I GOT OUT IN 1990 BE ALL YOU CAN BE
T.O.W
Tank Obliteration Weapon
Yes
Bold of you to assume they only obliterate tanks
Matsimus, I was a TOW gunner in the USMC back in the 80's-90's.
Thank you so much for this video!
Yes, we called ourselves "gunners" even though it is a missile system, the actual MOS name was too wordy.
We more commonly called ourselves TOW Cridders though.
As for the wires, they were not that much of a problem, comm wire was worse, strung all over the damn place in 29 Palms, it would take your head off when we drove around in M151 Jeeps. pita.
I loved that missile system, cantankerous though it may have been, always needing to be bore-sighted and collimated properly before a shoot.
Would not want to waste a missile that costs as much as a sports car blowing up a bush or boulder.
If you were lucky enough to shoot off a missile you got to keep the handling ring as a trophy and the rubber O-ring underneath, we would wear the O-ring around our helmet as a badge of honor.
I have 2 ¬_¬
Cheers Mate!
0352 rah
You must have had those God awful tripod mounted tow systems. We carried 8 live tows at all times on the gap.
mongo0532, what is your opinion if they ever tried to make a remote controlled turret for the BGM-71 TOW?
TOW gunner 84'-87'
We usually just brought a power drill for the wire, I miss shooting TOWs. I was a USMC TOW Gunner (0352) from 2016-2020
9:22 I remember the first time I heard a DRAGON being fired at SOI. The loud launch and the subsequent pops as it changed direction. Pretty wild sounding but as I saw the gunner sitting there the whole flight time, I was glad to be 0311.
SOI, that takes me back to 1996. I was an 0341. Oh the memories.
Yep. The M47 Dragon sucked balls. I was in the Army as an Airborne Infantryman and later in Mechanized Infantry. My MOS at that time was 11B1PC2. In Airborne I had to jump the right door of any aircraft so I don't small the missile and my rifle on the skin of the plane. It happens when the plane is bouncing up, down, and side to side and causes me to do a weak exit out of the plane. To prevent this I used my arms and right leg to heave myself out. My rucksack had the day and night sight along with batteries, coolant bottles, and the rest of my gear to hump when I landed. Still sucked to hump the Dragon. Airborne Infantry loved them so much that each platoon had 8 gunners, 2 per squad. This is what I got for flunking the math test during reception before Basic Training because they were looking for mortar guys. My Drill Sergeants punished me by making me a Dragon Gunner at Infantry School before I went to Airborne School. I got fucked.
For those wondering, the wire is nylon I believe, about as thick as dental floss and c has two thin exposed copper wires wrapped around it. You might trip on it but I can't remember anyone tripping over them.
“manportable,” what a happy word. In 1995 my platoon was temporarily assigned to the 11 ACR at Fort Irwin to serve as infantry dismounts, since CAV doesn’t have any organic infantry. As honored guests, we were allowed to hump TOWs all over the Mohave ... on foot. Including up a mountain. Tripods, sights, power packs, coolant, launchers, and missiles up a damn mountain.... such fun.
I shot 2 of these (E11H, 2/48th Infantry). Amazing accuracy. When first briefed on weapon I was skeptical the TOW missile was actually connected via wires to the control unit. My skepticism was erased as we drove our APC's into the firing range and found 100's of wires strung across trees and on the ground. The wires are wound on a tapered spool and spring free when launched, preventing wire breakage. The missile is initially launched from the tube without rocket power. The rocket motor then ignites a safe distance from the tube usually dipping toward the ground slightly before the rocket motor ignites and the guidance system corrects trajectory.
A beast of a missle. Didn't know about the short circuiting problem over water. Interesting. I would think that simple painted on insulation would solve that problem.
The two wires left trailing behind the TOW will most definitely lacerate your legs, ankles, or hands if pulled on. After testing TOWs, great care is taken in cleaning up the range, you can easily trip or cut yourself on the filament. The filament is extremely small in diameter but incredibly strong. If you pull on the filament you will lacerate yourself, but if you bend the filament, as if to tie a knot, it will easily break.
I was in the US Army Cavalry back in the mid 1980's. I was trained as a ITV crewman (19D Cav Scout). The TOW missile system was exactly the same as the ones mounted on a jeep or carried by the infantry. They at least gave us a chance of holding back Ivan, if the balloon went up back then.
I was in A/1-17 Cav when the ITAS was tested and fielded. The FLIR is awesome--we were able to see rodents in the brush at 2km. How do we know 2km? Because we lased them. For reasons that I still don't understand, the rodents were clearly reacting to the laser. This is the most entertaining thing you can possibly do while sitting alone in the woods at 2:30 in the morning.
As for the wire--it's pretty sturdy stuff. I used a leatherman to cut it, but it wasn't easy. I'd expect that a fair bit of it ends up tangled up in vehicle tracks and shredded into short pieces.
Back in 87' when i went to osut at Ft Benning we had a range detail cleaning up wires from a TOW range, they said we had to police up the wire from the range because wildlife would get tangled in it. The only protective gear we had to use was the basic issue wool insert/leather outer black gloves to pick up the wire, I wound up a couple wraps around my hand to pull the wire and the wire cut through the leather glove almost through the wool insert.....almost cutting into my hand. Needless to say that wire is some VERY tough stuff.
I was a TOW gunner with both the 11ACR and 101st ABN ( Air Assault ) , yes that wire got everywhere , and would cut your hands if you didnt wear gloves
Good times !
Continuing for my previous post I was a volunteer for the cleanup crew but this was not my assignment I was assigned as electronic repair man for the chaparral and Vulcan anti-air systems. But this is my first exposure to any type of missile system and I found it very exciting as do I and all of your films thank you once again
11H10, fired 8 of them. Best part was the ticking of the thermals at night, or bending the pins, only to take the forgiveness cap off and plug in the fire control. All joking aside, loved every minute of it.
Always target the stationary tank looking your way =D
That was my primary M.O.S. (0352) for 8 years, 1985-1993. Thanks for the video, good stuff. Semper Fidelis!
hey jarhead, thanks for the 8 years. I was on a TOW team in the USMCR in 1985 - Waukegan, Ill.. heard that the Marines got the TOW from the Army cause they didn't want it no more. that big smoke signature when it's fired and the missile's slow speed, plus the fact the gunner had to sit still while he tracked the tank giving the tank plenty of opportunity to return accurate and much faster fire probably killed the TOW with the Army. I had ask myself if I could sit still while I was watchin a tank through the TOW crosshairs turning its fire on my position
@@marcuscicero9587 This was back in the mid 80's when I was in the Fleet Marine Force. We used the system for a lot of different missions other than anti-tank. In fact that was actually a rare occurrence, relatively speaking. It was a great system, NEVER failed when I needed it to perform. Thanks for your service my friend. Pretty rare when I meet another AT-TOW gunner! Semper Fi!
Command link wire is incredibly strong and thin, you cannot break it with your bare hands and will end up cutting yourself badly. It is easily cut with lighter though with just a second of open flame to part the wire.
I had no idea wire guided was actually connected through flight crazy awesome cool.
The missile knows where it is because the missile knows where it isn't...
I have wondered why this system hasn't been converted to fire and forget
Defence costs probably. Would be pretty expensive to upgrade/convert current TOW missiles. Though I wonder if it would perform like the javelin?
@@barrackobama5203 they would probably have to redesign the missile from the ground up. All the brains of the tow missile is in the rear. Where is the guidance system like on the Maverick is in the front.
What would be interesting is to build a tank destroyer firing Maverick missles with an autoloader.
I have shot many of these, old ones tended to break wires, Tow 2 was very dependable super accurate.
Always a Pleasure to watch Matt, Happy Holidays!
Great vid Mat. Well done sir. Glad I was mechanic and not TOW missile crewman. Hehe
You are one of kind man!!
Love your show
If this was December then there'd be at least some Futurama references with Robot Santa in them.
As a US Marine 0352 (TOW Gunner).. IT is indeed, a Heavy Hitting weapon system. A 98% Kill\disable system. As a Tank Hunter, I tell you this... IF it hits a bus, truck, car, etc... That is nasty.. Real Nasty... BUT when you hit a Tank, APC, BUTTONED UP Vehicle.. Meaning all the doors are locked. THOSE Hits are the most devastating hits, One can imagine.
The TOW, extends a probe.. Which Triggers a Shaped charge explosion, using Octal. NOT HE.. AND wow.. It will make a hole the size of a quarter, in the armor. and BOOOOM.. That 5-9 TON, Turrent, 10,000-18,000 lbs of steel, will get thrown 100-200 feet in the air. Imagine the gunner,driver,loader.... IF it hits on a glance shot.. BOOM.. Chances are all the ammo will ignite in teh Tank..
We won't go into detail of the Fuel Air version.
I was a Tow gunner with the Canadian Forces in the mid 80s while on deployment in West Germany it is a very effective anti tank weapon and when we got thermal imaging look the F out because day or night at up almost 4 kilometers you were a DOA ask an East German BDSM that crossed the border and I called in a fire mission he left very very quickly as we knew they were tracking our coms back in those days good times keeping the bad guys on their side.
I was assigned to that same exact stryker in the thumbnail.
Cool. Fired the training one at school.
Hey dude, you mentioned the like function. Since it creates a playlist I use it to find videos I'd like to see over and over or are great to show friends etc. If it did not do this I would 'like' many more videos. Keep up the good work and thanks for this nice explainer video. I am curious as to how they managed to not get the wire to fail as the missile accelerated and makes the wire spool out at a massive pace.
For thoes of U who have tryed to shoot longer than 3000 meter know that 4500meter is very long. So long that it is a lot of factors to be considder and likely the limitations is getting larger by the meters. So for thoes who wish it to have a range over 5 or maybe 6000 meter will have to understand it would be nessesary to develope quit an other system witch also include target identification and movement. Anyhow the Tow 2 was the king of the front and inside enemy territory in the -80 and 90's since the termic sight gave us almost full insight of all life both in enemy land and our own.
Backblast area all secure, gun up, fire in the hole! Toe on the wire (x3) I miss shooting TOWs
i was in the army in the 80s and fired a couple of tow misssile.but as far as the wires go they were everywhere fouling up road wheels and things.
You should do a video on some of the dumb weaponry on helicopters. Would be very nice to learn about that stuff.
The "W" in TOW stands for wired... except when it stands for "wireless" in the newer versions.
Brilliant video keep them coming
In the Bundeswehr TOW stands for "Treffer ohne Wirkung"; "hit without effect".
Which was a nice meme...but factualy wrong :-P
Oh nice just what i was searching the other day, I'd be terrified if that chases me.
Yes, I've tripped over my own toe.
Love your videos man, and what kind of armored vehicle did your serve in, a warrior or something else perhaps?
No kidding that would be a blast. He, he, see what I did there?
My squadmates always go through these things like sticks of gum.
SL SL, can you call 📞 for a logi run ?!? Our HAT is outta ammo and there's an enemy gamertruck shooting at us . SL!
Nice video :-) Out of curiosity, how much does each missile cost?
The federal government of Canada put these on the gun ban list, and was going to ask for some for Christmas!
its a lot bigger than it is in battlefield 3
Can you make video about Dardo IFV made in italty? Another overlooked italian vehicle
But how? I cannot keep the wires behind my tv from tangling.
I always wondered: During the holidays, do soldiers kiss under the TOW missile?
How long are those wires ....damn
Need a MOD for Arma 3 where Matsimus fires a TOW Missile while wearing flip flops.
We like these videos👍
What does the wite do? How they do it?
we have had top attack missiles for so long, they feel outdated. we need bottom attack missiles :P nothing worse than a surprise bottom attack
dave yesiam
Called
Mines lol
dave yesiam shhhhhhhhhh is secret weapon.
WHAT'S the question? SPIKE.
7:51 snap....
Matt: firing the TOW missile is anti-climactic and awesome at the same time. It is anticlimactic because one expects an audible or recoil sensation, neither of which happen. In fact there is a pregnant delay where one asks "How come nothing is happening?" and then the whoosh of the missile heading downrange to target. It is incredible because the mass of a flying machine heading destroy whatever you have the crosshairs on on is like physically touching your target as you see the rocket motor burning through the sights. I have much experience with the TOW. My M901 Improved TOW Vehicle based scout platoon could boast having the Regimental, Fort Dix Trained Master Gunner for the 107th Armored Cavalry Regiment. We also hosted the 107th ACRs TOW school at our Ohio Army National Guard Armory in Ashtabula Ohio (K Troop). This was back in 1990-92. A few years later, in the spring of '99 as Commander of the single M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle Troop in the 16th Cavalry (C Troop) we got the unique opportunity to expend twenty-seven (yes that's right! 27) TOW training missiles as part of out Troop CFV Gunnery. Fantastic experiences the US Cavalry has given me!
M48 MBT, M60 MBT and UH-1 helicopter videos please.
You should do more atgm vids because its interesting to see what tanks are going up against besides other tanks.
Legend has it Matt was so pissed off after that War Thunder match he made a whole video about the TOW missile 😂, great video btw
Hahhha!! Legend!! That’s awesome 😂👍❤️
I just hate that china got the TOW2 first. As a real life TOW Gunner I also wonder why they're not as realistic. As a side note I want to know how Shtora messes witha TOW when its wire guided and the Shtora is mostly for radio guided munitions, and yes I'm already salty about the T-90A lol
@@quarkedbutt8711 I found this on the german wikipedia about the TOW missile system:
"The TOW works with the SACLOS steering system. The tracking device tracks the guided missile via a xenon infrared emitter attached to the stern. Guidance commands are calculated in the target tracking unit and transmitted to the guided missile via the wire connection."
So since the tracking device tracks the missile via an infrared emitter, it can be diverted by Shtora-1.
The 24-second life span of the BGM-71 TOW missile begins 1.54 seconds before the ignition as the trigger is pulled. At this point, several things happen. (1) Three batteries are activated that provide power to the electronics, the Xenon or thermal beacon and the actuator subsystem. (2) The attitude control gyro spins up to 42,000 rpm. (3) Electronic signals are balanced between the Missile Command Amplifier and the missile. Finally, the engine ignites!
The tube clearance engine, located in the back of the TOW produces 15,000 lbs. of thrust for 0.35 to 0.5 seconds and burns out before it leaves the tube. At the moment the front wings finish unfolding as they spring out after leaving the tube they close an electric circuit that causes the "flight" motor to ignite. This motor has two exhaust nozzles, one on each side of the rocket about halfway up the body in order to avoid the center of gravity (Cg) changing during flight. The flight motor ignites about seven meters from the launcher. Then, when the missile has reached between 35-70 meters from the launcher, the warhead is armed by acceleration G forces from the "flight" motor.
Upon capture, the TOW missile becomes a closed-loop system. The Xenon beacon and thermal beacon ( TOW 2, TOW2A ) are installed in the rear of the missiles and are detected by the Xenon detector or thermal tracker in the TSU. Two-wire dispensers are mounted on the rear of the missile at 90 and 270-degree positions. These dispensers contain 3,750 meters of single strand wire. Control surface flippers respond to signals from this wire command link. Helium powers the control actuators. The attitude gyro, which limits yaw and roll, is driven by nitrogen.
The rest of the flight profile:
T + 1.35 sec.(~230 meters) - The IR sensors in the TSU switches from the wide field of view (FOV) (+ 6 degrees) to medium FOV (+ 1.5 degrees).
T + 1.6sec.(~350 meters) - The flight motor burns out. Missile velocity is approximately 1,080 ft / sec. (639 knots or 735 mph).
T + 1.85 sec. - Automatic wire-cut occurs if no IR source.
T + 2.0 sec.(500 meters) - Minimum effective range.
T + 2.34 sec.(~520 meters) - TSU IR sensors medium FOV (+1.5 degrees) end; narrow FOV (+0.25 degrees) begins. Narrow FOV IR sensor is contained in 13 power lens.
T + 3.9 sec.(1,000 meters) - Missile velocity is approximately 840 ft / sec (497 kts or 571.4 mph.
T + 4.325 sec. - Control surfaces (flippers move at 12.5 cps instead of 25 cps to conserve helium gas in the high-pressure bottle.
T + 8.6 sec.(2000 meters) - Missile velocity is approximately 620 ft / second (367 kts or 422 mph).
T + 14.8 sec.(3000 meters) - Missile velocity is approximately 450 ft / second (266 kts or 306 mph).
T + 20.5 sec.(3750 Meters) - Missile velocity is approximately 375 ft/second (222 kts or 255 mph). The missile is at the maximum range of the wire.
T + 23.04 sec. - An automatic wire-cut occurs if no wire-cut signal has been previously received.
T + 23.12 sec. - Trigger reset for the next missile.
as a DCS flight sim player (where it takes 15 mins JUST to align the nav.... AKA before you can taxi or takeoff)
this is the type of detailed, nerd heavy stuff i love, thanks man
That was cool man, tnx for effort
Ron Mclaughlin wau, many thanks..
@Ron Mclaughlin
Had one do a moon shot on a live fire exercise in the late 1980s
It went out maybe 1,000 meters or so and it simply went vertical and disappeared into the cloud deck never to be seen again.
Any idea what would have caused that?
Drunkass Redneck Productions I have seen that happen a couple of times, it occurs when the wire breaks or you have a guidance fin failure. The Immediate action drill is point the sight down as fast as possible to attempt to get a signal a down signal to the missile in case you still have a connection
Talk about an explosive cable package.
Only this cable package, cancels you lol.
But you are guaranteed to like what's playing
Purchase this today and we will guarantee to cancel your tank.
Neat! That 500m minimum range is interesting. I launched dumb rockets from SMAW, believe it had a 25 meter minimum range, warhead armed by spinning ogive
Russian Tank Driver: That's a bird!
Russian Tank Catcher: No, that's a drone!
Russian Tank Commander: That's BGM-71 TOW, you idiots!!!
That's chasing our tank!!! Мы мертвы!
ua-cam.com/video/2rfyeR-YaJw/v-deo.html i dont think a tow would do much to the newer T80s, T-90s or T14
@@cherrypoptart2001 😂
@@cherrypoptart2001 Look, that's not the TOW equipment that the U.S. soldiers use.
U.S. soldiers are up to date.
It can hit the upper part and has a penetrating force of 800 to 1,000mm.
@@nahoy350 if u didnt observe correctly. It hit the T-90's turret. T-90's turret is rated 800mm against kinetic projectiles,over 900mm against HEAT projectiles and the ERA is strong enough to stop any tandem shaped projectiles. Also poor training didnt dictate the outcome of this because they were both poorly trained if they abondoned the tank and to shoot a tank in the front of the turret
@@cherrypoptart2001 I'm sorry. I think I misread the video.
By the way, can the t-90, t 80, t14 tanks be able to steal the latest TOW or FGM-148 Javelin?
I participated in TOW tests in the early 70's at YPG, supporting the moving targets Huey's were shooting at. We called it "Thing Operated by Wire". We didn't recover the wire on that range and one morning, as the sun set at the head of that range, it glinted off all that copper, looking like some giant spider had strung some liner web in the valley. No one had a camera and that was days before cellphones.
The entire concept sounds old-fashioned by now, but at least wire-guidance can't be tampered with by modern countermeasures.
Arming lever up, backblast area clear, fire!
From my position- on the way!
T.O.W., AT4, Dragons... And L.A.W.s... Were ALL fun to play with!!
@@fragout9575 I thought that the dragon was a pain in the ass to set up.
I don't know how many times I've heard that yelled out just prior to someone letting loose a big ass fart.
@@danielhowell1640 ,same here.😆
I was like:
"Nah, its not an actual wire there, it must be some sort of weird military shit..."
After seeing a goddamn wire:
"Wait, WTF"
So glad the Humvee's are equipt by a TOW Launcher's, only i've seen that the less-armoured Humvee's got those even the armored ones.
My "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" list in no particular order:
1. A-10 Thunderbolt II
2. BGM-71 TOW Missile
3. Browning M2HB
4. KA-BAR Fighting Knife
5. B-52 Stratofortress
6. M67 Fragmentation Grenade
7. M134D "Minigun"
8. M61 Vulcan
9. UH-1 "Huey" Iroquois (Still in USMC service as UH-1Y Venom)
Ahem AKM and AR-15s
@@dragonstormdipro1013 The AKM isn't in US service and as for the AR platform, there are so many variations it can hardly be put in a "don't fix it" list.
@@angus57720 AR-15 isn't a military weapon. M16 series was and has been replaced by the M4 series.
Also: U-2 Dragon Lady
Tbh a 10 isnt as good as believed when it comes to piercing modern tanks but yes its one good aircraft for CAS
We were born just in time to witness this work of art
I miss Justin Y. I guess you’re his replacement.
My friend was in the army (I´m navy), and he said the worst part of live firing TOW was retrieving the guidance wires. They are a hazard for wildlife and since every missile drops two wires for several kilometers, it´s quite a clean-up. Especially missile failures that goes off course.
Poor man's javelin in all departments
@@paulwilliams2663it’s way too expensive
Why can’t they just reel it in?
@@kx7500 They are not connected to reels at the launcher that you can just reverse. They are designed to fire in a war situation and then leave. Besides, they tend to get snagged in branches and the like after they touch the ground, so there´s really only one way to retrieve them and that´s by hand.
@@schr75 I know they aren’t but I’m saying it should be a simple mechanism if you wanted to do so, even like a small pulley. And if you wanna leave it you can just detach it and go.
I got to fire one of these when I was in the US Army. I was in a heavy weapons company in a light infantry battalion, so we had TOWs mounted on humvees. I only fired one once in training, but it was loads of fun. The grainy, black/green image on the viewfinder and guiding the missile onto the decommissioned tank target made me feel like I was doing the trench run on the Death Star.
I can confirm that the TOW command wires are stupidly strong, with a higher tensile strength than one might expect from pure copper wire. Was an Army EOD tech back in the day. Picked up a wire in the tread of our Humvee while driving on a tank trail and it almost completely severed the CV joint on the drivers side front wheel. Would make awesome garrote wire.
I was asking an AH-64 pilot about his favorite weapons (cannon and hellfire). TOW was his least favorite, and his reason was that firing it and trying to guide it in from a dynamic platform like a helicopter was a bad match.
Yes probably not the best adapted weapon for an Helicopter but if you don't have fire and forget weapon yet in your technology you have to use it.
This looks like a really cool weapon, I do wonder why there are weird jets shooting out of the side of the rocket thing. I guess I'll find out at the end of the video.
Edit: The missile knows where it is at all times. It knows this because it knows where it isn't, by subtracting where it is, from where it isn't, or where it isn't, from where it is, whichever is greater, it obtains a difference, or deviation. The guidance sub-system uses deviations to generate corrective commands to drive the missile from a position where it is, to a position where it isn't, and arriving at a position where it wasn't, it now is. Consequently, the position where it is, is now the position that it wasn't, and it follows that the position where it was, is now the position that it isn't. In the event of the position that it is in is not the position that it wasn't, the system has required a variation. The variation being the difference between where the missile is, and where it wasn't. If variation is considered to be a significant factor, it too, may be corrected by the GEA. However, the missile must also know where it was. The missile guidance computance scenario works as follows: Because a variation has modified some of the information the missile has obtained, it is not sure just where it is, however it is sure where it isn't, within reason, and it knows where it was. It now subracts where it should be, from where it wasn't, or vice versa. By differentiating this from the algebraic sum og where it shouldn't be, and where it was. It is able to obtain a deviation, and a variation, which is called "air"
RESOLVED
Edit: Cool thing I noticed is the wire popping out then after a second or two of standing stiff just falls, I wonder why that happens. (You can't see the wire extending past a feet or two on camera, maybe something with the bitrate.)
"I do wonder why there are weird jets shooting out of the side of the rocket thing" This is the exhaust from the rocket motor.
@@whya2ndaccount oh yeah that makes sense, I forgot about the exhaust. My brain was like "shouldn't the rocket engine be pointing straight?"
The part of the wires you can see are insulated to protect the wires from contacting the launch vehicle and defensive berms.
@@joshcrys thanks for the info
@@driedink He explained that in the video. The missile uses a burning magnesium flare type device which the launcher needs to see for tracking purposes. By having the two rocket motors half way along the body, pointing out and rearwards, the tracking flare is unobscured. Using two angled motors either side of the missile also increases stability according to the information given in this overview.
I always find how impressive many of the american weapon systems (yes there are examples from other nations) are first deployed 50 years ago and are still in service. It shows how when you get it just right it can be effective for ages.
"*hey, check in our new tow missiles*"
I was going to comment that. You beat me to it.
I love that game.
EYYYYY
"Chew on these!"
Breaking loose!
You want some of this?
As a TOW/Dragon missile technician, I witnessed scores of both missiles launched. The evolution if this weapon system has been exciting to a Cold War warrior like me. As far as the command wire goes, Dragon wire was the most common and I had several spools of it.
I WAS A 27 ECHO TOW AND DRAGOON MISSILE REPAIRER TOFTOY HALL REDSTONE ARSENAL 1987
As an American, I feel bad that our weapons are sold to our enemies. I thank you for your service,, glad you made it home. I’ve seen the TOW in practice, but never had the opportunity to see it in action. Anyhow, love your show and commentary. Stay healthy and keep up the good show!!👍
The NEWEST is wireless, 1 to improve it...and 2, because the factory making the wire closed. It's been out since '89'ish but most missiles "in service" are still wire guided, since they are there to be used.
Also, the wireless version doesn't have "fired over water and shorting out" issues"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BGM-71_TOW
I'd say more, but I forgot what's classified still or not, but I was made an instructor for ITAS before I got out :P
The wires wouldn't short out if fired over water. They are insulated. If they weren't insulated it would short out the wires pretty much every launch since the wires are so close to each other and they inevitably touch each other when the wire goes slack during flight.
@@rubiconnn As an US Army ITAS instructor, the civ contractor who trained me and from the tech manuals it was warned to NOT shoot it over water of XXX distance to avoid the risk of shorting out the wires/system.
I was trained back in 2012/13
What happens to the wire after the use? Do you collect it or just abandon it lying around? Wouldn't the wire just lying around become a hazard? If they are collected, how is it done? Are there any special machines for that or just soldiers doing it manually?
@@internetdefender2971 it's left there. No one cares. You are fighting TANKs. It's a very thin wire.
@@xxxlonewolf49 Thank you for your reply. This was interesting for me.
Hi Matsimus, can you please make a video on HAL LCH and Rudra Helicopters.
Yep remember this back in Baghdad when we board the Humvees with my 4 Missile Defender friends. The TOW rips enemies tanks.
Old TOW gunner 82d Airborne Division late 1980s (D Co. 4/325th if interested).
They are man portable (sort of), but we mainly mounted them on vehicles. We used a slightly modified jeep when I first started and transitioned to hummers. Even though much larger, the hummers were better since the jeeps were dangerously top-heavy with the weapon system mounted.
An improvement for TOW crews would have been if the rear hatch opened from the front instead of the rear for reloading.
Back then, the thermal sight was separate and mounted on top of the optical sight and was not required for operation.
In dismounted operations, it took an entire squad to operate. The traversing unit was insanely heavy and bulky and the guidance unit was almost as bad. I think that the primitive NiCd batteries for the guidance unit were designed as a secondary melee' weapon since they felt like they were filled with Uranium.
Being an Airborne unit, we tried at least one airborne training operation with the system.
It did not work out well at all. No injuries, but holy CRAP was it completely unwieldy and a completely stupid idea.
Not only do you normally carry your ruck with all of your personal gear (110 pounds+), but the several pounds of parachute equipment. Add to that the burden of the heavy components (1 per man) to include their bulky nature.
The traversing unit was a pure beast and try strapping the tripod on as well.
All in all, the idea was destined to fail at best or get someone killed at worst.
Just take a gander at the many videos of poor aircraft exits under normal training conditions to get a idea.
One minor correction: Not the 117th but A troop 1st Squadron 17th Air Cav.
i fired two in 1988 and 89. just awesome. the manual says, "dont look at the flight motor.", but you cant help it. Both times i hit an old M 48 tank. very accuarate. fired off an M901 ITV/ what a heavy maintanence dog.
Re: Jamming SACLOS - the guidance system tries to keep the missile withing the reticle. However not the missile proper, but the light source ("tracer/flare") in its back. Now, when a target fired an ordinary signal flare, the eletronics have a chance to lock on the decoy and sends commands accordingly to the missile.
That is how you jam it.
And there are the smoke grenaded, driving into bushes or hard cover, etc.
But all requires to see the missile and react within the 3-12 seconds you have before impact. Russian roulette with at least 3 bullets in the six shooter.
works only on older models
As per the last comments by our author, in the Yom Kippur war the Egyptians fired so many Soviet wire guided missiles at the Israelis, the tanks came off the battlefield smothered in copper wire.
It is a known method to pick up the wire and follow it back to the launch site by snipers or other clever troops. Move Your Launch Position Frequently ! 😉
I was a Tow Critter in the late 90’s. Picking up the wire at the range after a shoot was a pain. My first TOW the flight motors didn’t kick on in time, thing hit the deck, flight motors kicked on, back it came, and blew up above the platoon about 50 feet up maybe. What a time to be alive.lol
Before someone tries calling bullshit. Talk to any Marine that was at Lejeune 1997-2000 at 2nd Tank BN, H&S Co, TOW or Scout Platoon. Or find the officer that filmed it, no idea who that was.
They actually used the TOW2 against Saddam Hussein's sons when they holed up in a building and refused to surrender. So they leveled the building and their barricades with them.
Also it was first decided the TOW could take down a slow moving helicopter like the Hind during war games around 1989. The officials first refused to allow the "kill" claimed by a gunner in my platoon because the TOW supposedly was unable to shoot down aircraft. Our LT won the argument when he pointed out it had hovered long enough we were able to give the tail number and pilot's name on a UH-1. The Reg CO pushed up the chain to have the idea evaluated after that.
Around early 1992 we were officially told the Hind D was a new primary target as well as the ZSU 23-4.
0352 from 5th Marines 1990-94. The wire is actually a hazard, especially on training ranges. A Tow range can span 4km so may have another range crossing it or contained within the wire danger area. Policing of wire from expended missiles used to take us a lot of time if we were lucky enough to fire more than one or two missiles. We left it on the sand in Kuwait. Thank you for doing this video. I loved how you included the clip of the helicopter mounted TOW where the gunner followed a truck behind a hill with the missile. We employed Tow 2A and TOW2B during my tour. Armor identification was key in the early 1990s and is in the future battlefields.Anyone else remember studying flashcards for days?
@Todd Kimsey 2009-2013 slides on PowerPoint instead of note cards but yes it felt like months instead of days.
*QUESTION FOR THE COMMUNITY/MATSIMUS*
Could the TOW 2B Aero/TOW 2B BGM-71F overcome APS like Trophy because the missile is detonating some feet over the tank (due to the EFP- warhead)?
ua-cam.com/video/E1VWPOpYbQI/v-deo.html
as you can see the missile detonates about 3+ meters over the tank due to the EFP-warhead.
1.Trophy intercepts only projectiles which would actually hit the tank, so no ammunition is wasted. For the radar of trophy it seems like the missile would totally miss the tank.
2.The missile could be out of the radar range. Or even if its in the range, due to the distance and EFP-warhead trophy cant intercept the target fast enough. ( EFP-warheads are also more difficult to destroy)
The AT weapon of choice for the awesome Fallschirmjägers' 'Wiesel'
The cutest little thing on tracks. Nothing can out cute a Wiesel. Not even an Ontos or an Abbott
@@komradearti9935
Well, that's how it goes in life. Someone prettier comes around and that's it, even for the most successful long-term relationships.
@@ph11p3540
'cute', really?!
Maybe I just lack of imagination/romance 🤣, but to me it's just the nastiest little machine and one of the most rational military designs in modern history.
As a former 0352 it was a awesome experience shooting this weapon system. Not so much humping it up and down mountains. SEMPER FI brothers
NSTIW, in my ITV doing live fire on a stormy day. A launch excursion took a missile straight up into a thunderhead, and lightening followed the wires directly to our vehicle. Our crew had no idea what happened until the range officer told us. We though the missile blew up right in front of us. Thank God we where in an armored vehicle and not firing ground mounted. Could have been very ugly.
Loved the tow. It'll continue on just like the A-10
Eh, not likely. You can only get so much out of a weapon frame. Sooner or later you'll have to make a new weapon system. It is probably that we'll be seeing the TOW slowly sent to the disassembly yards while a new weapon is created.
USA army needs a Brrrt plataform so unlees they create a new type of flying minigun they will dont replace the A 10
@@enrlichhartman no, the US Army doesn't have fixed-wings outside of the transports. Anything fixed-wing with weapons is owned by the Airforce if it's land-based... and the A-10s are currently useless as weapon tech has evolved in such a way that they'll get killed these days.
I wanted to mean , the Grount force loves to hear A 10 suport when they fight enemies that dont have Anti air defenses Sadly , even small guerrilla forces now have modern ainti air misles like the kurdish forces.
@@enrlichhartman Yeah, the proliferation of MANPADs has made the A-10's design useless... although if things keep going the way they are technologically, we'll probably have very light aircraft that make the A-10 look like a Zero in comparison... given that EndoSteel has been revealed to the world three years ago...
Somebody please tell me what the song is in the beginning of the video. I'd really appreciate it. Kind of sounds like boards of Canada but I'm not sure.
"Great video in Syria of this toy. The mercenaries (moderate rebels) get free missiles since 2011, and i calculate the cost in the billions, whereas, a tow missile runs 80 to 100 grand USD x 30 a day x 365 x 9 years = a shitload of us taxpayer dollahs (billins and billins, you get me!?)."
FSA started getting a small number of TOWs in 2014. Significant shipments happened only in 2015 and 2016 and they were getting mostly old missiles close to the end of shelf life (at which point their cost is practically close to 0). Also, these were mostly missiles previously bought by KSA or Turkey, so it didn't cost the USA much.
btw.: you are really bad at math
My father was a commander of an Anti Tank battalion using TOWS on Humvees back in the 80s. I remember some of his home videos of practice shots. If it wasn’t a combat situation they would wind the wires back on a separate motorized spool afterward I have no idea if they re-used them or anything.
7:44 showing the SPC-4's ability to disappear at a moments notice. Please stop giving away the US Army's most important advantage.
E-4 Mafia
Another one of your excellent films when I was first drafted and got a basic I was assigned to Redstone Arsenal when I arrived I was early for my class AIT being bored in the turtle farm as we call reception I volunteered for range detail basically I was the cleanup from a test fire of something it turned out to be the toll missile they fired six missiles that day for some senator her some dignitaries a bunch of brass as well my job was to pick up the debris from the missiles the dummies for them were filled with sand that’s what I was told to were live and they had the DOD take care of them one of them actually shot a steel pot helmet off of a stump pretty amazing stuffThank you for your film it was amazing
Sorry once again are you Siri I forgot to check the spelling sorry
Do modern variants still use the flare for guidance or have they upgraded to an IR flare?