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United States Raytheon (RTX)
BGM-71 TOW
A wire- and radio-guided, tube-launched anti-tank missile that has been in continuous production for over five decades and remains one of the most widely fielded ATGMs in the world. It is carried by vehicles, helicopters and dismounted crews across dozens of allied militaries.
In service since 1970 · 45 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
5
km range
0.7
Mach
6
kg warhead
💲 ≈ $60,000 — Approximate US Army unit procurement cost, TOW 2B
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 45 operators
In service since 1970. Status: active · ~700,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 0.7 Mach Bottom 7% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 5 km Bottom 4% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 6 kg Stronger than 11% of missiles
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- Tandem-charge HEAT
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- Wire-guided SACLOS, Wireless RF-guided (TOW 2B/Aero)
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 1.17 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 23 kg
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Solid-fuel rocket
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $60,000 Top 7% of missiles
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 700,000 Top 2% of missiles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 45 Top 1% of missiles
Specifications compiled from public Raytheon (RTX) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW? +
The Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW has a maximum range of 5 km.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW weigh? +
The Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW has a combat weight of 23 kg.
What is the Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW used for? +
The Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW is a missile typically used for anti armor.
How many countries operate the Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW? +
The Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW is operated by 45 countries.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW cost? +
The Raytheon (RTX) BGM-71 TOW has an approximate unit cost of 60,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
