TOW Missiles go Wireless, Raytheon to Begin Production

TOW Launch

Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ adds more depth to a September 20, 2006 DefenseLINK release, noting that the $18.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for “TOW 2B Aero and TOW 2B Aero Gen 2 Missiles” is actually part of a larger contract with 5 one-year options and an initial value of $163.2 million. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2012. This was a sole source contract initiated on Oct. 11, 2005 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-06-C-0466).

Under this contract, Raytheon will deliver the new wireless versions of the BGM-71 TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided) family of missiles that receive commands from the gunner through a wireless data link, instead of the wire connection that the system has used for over 30 years. Because the wireless system is built into the missile and the missile case, wireless TOW works with all existing launch platforms and requires no change in training. DID has covered contracts for the TOW 2A and TOW 2B “bunker buster” missile; the TOW 2B Aero is a new extended range version.

See video of the new TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wireless) missile…

EDA, National Defense Magazine Address “Future Soldier” System Trend & Issues

The global trend toward “future soldier” infantry ensembles has swept many countries up in its wake, but issues remain. National Defense Magazine examines some of them in a recent article, and the Steering Board of the European Defence Agency has added a few more.

We’ll begin with the EDA Steering Committee, which recently declared that: