T.O.W. Anti-Tank Guided Missile
The M2 Bradley is equipped with the TOW BGM-71 anti-tank missile system from Hughes Missile Systems Company. The name TOW is an abbreviation of Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire guided missile. The twin-tube TOW launcher is mounted on the left of the turret. When the Bradley is travelling the launcher is in a lowered position. A TOW lift mechanism is used to raise and lower the launcher and an elevation drive assembly positions and holds the launcher. The elevation range of the launcher is from -20 degrees to +30 degrees. The missile wings and tail fins are folded inside the tube until launch. The missile is equipped with a shaped charge high explosive warhead and is propelled by a two stage solid propellant motor. The target is tracked using an optical sight and the gunner aligns the cross-hairs in the eyepiece on the target. The missile is launched towards the target and the optical sight detects the infra-red signal from the back of the missile in flight. A double-wire command link between the missile and the gunner is dispensed from two internally mounted spools at the back of the missile. The launcher sends flight correction data to the guidance system on the missile via the double wire command link. The range of the TOW missile is 3.75 kilometers and the speed is .306 kilometers per second (0.92 Mach).