Pakistan’s civil war has ebbed somewhat over the last couple of years, but it hasn’t gone away, and Pakistani Taliban guerrillas will eventually return from Syria. Land mines and improvised explosives remain a problem, and the return of highly trained Islamists will make it worse.
The Hurt Locker was a good movie, but nobody wants to do it that way unless they have to…
ITAS (improved target acquisition system) was originally designed to provide an advanced fire control system for the TOW anti-armor missile, significantly increasing target detection, acquisition, recognition and engagement ranges. It also offers upgraded hardware for a 30-year old system, as electronics have a rapid turnover cycle and some of its parts were no longer in production. An October 4, 2006 Raytheon release notes that the new 5-year contract continues Army procurement of the systems, and marks the start of U.S. Marine Corps ITAS acquisition.
This DID Spotlight Article provides more information about TOW-ITAS and its uses in battle, which have broadened beyond missile guidance to some roles its designers hadn’t expected. Production resumed in 2005, and the program picked up a 2007 award from the US DoD.
