Raytheon, an RTX business, has been awarded two contracts totalling $676m to continue the production of the tube-launched, optically-tracked, wireless-guided (TOW) weapon system for the US Army.
To be fulfilled in Tucson, Arizona, the contracts include an annual production agreement for $430m in fiscal year 2023 and an additional $246m award in 2024.
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The TOW weapon system is a long-range, precision anti-armour, anti-fortification, and anti-amphibious landing system.
Raytheon has been focusing on enhancing TOW’s capabilities, including modernised fusing and target detection, which were showcased in recent Fly-To-Buy lot acceptance tests of the TOW 2B variant.
Further improvements to the missile’s design and packaging are aimed at meeting the latest military environmental requirements, addressing logistical and terrain challenges.
The US Army has also conducted qualification tests that verified updates and enhancements to the system’s top-down attack capabilities. This testing milestone is expected to guarantee that TOW users globally have access to the most effective weapon system for their defence needs.
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By GlobalDataThe company noted that the upgrades to the system have prolonged the missile’s life cycle beyond 2050. These updates provide warfighters capability which ensures the fastest target engagement time in the segment.
The TOW system is designed to operate in complex urban engagements and maintain superior anti-tank guided missile capability as its primary mission.
The TOW system is compatible with various manned and uncrewed vehicles, including the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, Stryker anti-tank guided missile vehicle, and more.
To date, Raytheon has delivered more than 700,000 TOW weapon systems to the US and international forces.
TOW missile has been deployed in combat more than 11,000 times since 2003, with the US Department of Defense supplying approximately 13,000 TOW missiles to Ukraine.
Raytheon Land and Air Defense Systems president Tom Laliberty said; “Our TOW production line is active, and we can manufacture up to 10,000 missiles annually.
“This combat-proven effector is ready to meet current and future anti-tank guided missile requirements for the US Army, Marines Corps, and land forces across the globe.”
Earlier in October 2024, Raytheon achieved full-rate production of the latest Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) Block IIA.
