Infantry Weapons

BGM-71 TOW

The BGM-71 TOW is a U.S. heavy anti-tank guided missile built around tube launch, optical tracking, and command guidance through a wire or later radio-frequency link. Developed by Hughes and now produced and upgraded by Raytheon, it can be fired from dismounted launchers, HMMWVs, Bradley and Stryker vehicles, light armored vehicles, and helicopters, giving infantry and vehicle crews a long-range precision anti-armor weapon. In the Russia-Ukraine War, U.S. security assistance packages sent TOW missiles to Ukraine as part of the anti-armor mix used to offset Russian armored forces.

Russia-Ukraine WarUkraine

Conflict side: Ukraine
Built by: Hughes Aircraft CompanyRaytheon
Built in: United States

BGM-71 TOW, Heavy anti-tank guided missile, Infantry Weapons

Profile

Type: Heavy anti-tank guided missile
Conflict side: Ukraine
Origin: United States
Service note: Introduced in 1970; upgraded TOW 2 family remains in service

ATGM anti-tank portable NATO

Service History

In service: 1970-present
Used by: Ukrainian Armed Forces, United States Army, United States Marine Corps
Wars: Russia-Ukraine War

Production History

Designer: Hughes Aircraft Company
Designed: 1960s
Built by: Hughes Aircraft CompanyRaytheon
Built in: United States
Unit cost: Varies by missile variant and procurement lot
Produced: Late 1960s-present
Number built: More than 700,000 TOW weapon systems delivered
Variants: BGM-71A Basic TOW, BGM-71C Improved TOW, BGM-71D TOW 2, BGM-71E TOW 2A, BGM-71F TOW 2B

Specifications

Guidance: Tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided command guidance; later RF variants use a one-way radio link
Basic TOW range: 3,000 m for the original BGM-71A
Common TOW 2 range: 3,750 m for many later ground- and vehicle-fired variants
Diameter: 6 in / 152 mm class missile body
Launch platforms: Ground tripod, HMMWV, Bradley, Stryker, light armored vehicle anti-tank platforms, and helicopters
Warhead role: Heavy anti-armor missile family, including tandem-warhead and top-attack TOW 2 variants

Conflict Usage

Russia-Ukraine War: Side: Ukraine
The United States committed TOW missiles to Ukraine beginning with an August 2022 drawdown, describing them as land-domain anti-armor missiles for Ukraine's need to counter Russia's heavy use of armor.

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Sources

TOWPublisher: U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal Historical Information | Note: Supports TOW background, Hughes development history, launch platforms, early service date, and basic missile specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 TOW Weapon SystemPublisher: RTX / Raytheon | Note: Supports current Raytheon manufacturer context, launcher compatibility, TOW 2 family variants, production scale, and modernization background. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 TOW System Upgrade Goes To Troops In AfghanistanPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports ITAS fire-control context and the 3,750-meter range cited for TOW missile employment. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 $775 Million in Additional Security Assistance for UkrainePublisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Directly documents Russia-Ukraine War security assistance provided to Ukraine, including the August 2022 U.S. commitment of 1,500 TOW missiles. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 Senior Defense Official Holds a Background BriefingPublisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Directly supports the Russia-Ukraine War anti-armor context for the TOW missile transfer, including the stated need against Russian armor. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 File:BGM-71 TOW fired.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing source; the file page identifies DVIDSHUB as author and states a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. | Accessed: 2026-06-20