FITOW

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Bob_Mackenzie

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AFAIK in the late 80's the British Army had a project to make a top attack TOW variant: Fully Improved TOW. Does anyone know anything about it?

Cheers

Bob
 
I believe it was actually Further Improved TOW. It was a retrofit with two downward firing self-forging projectile warheads, a proximity fuze, and a modified guidance system to elevate the flight path above the target. It's mentioned here:

http://www.army-guide.com/eng/product367.html
 
That sounds like the TOW 2B


In September 1987, Hughes was awarded a development contract for the BGM-71FTOW 2B, which eventually entered service in 1992, after limited production had begun in 1990. The main new feature is the Overflight Top Attack (OTA) capability. The TOW 2B has a completely redesigned nose section, which includes two downward sequentially fired tantalum EFP (Explosive Formed Projectile) warheads, and an active dual-mode (optical laser/magnetic sensor) fuze. The laser and magnetic fuze work together to detect the height profile and the large metal mass of a tank, detonating the warheads exactly above the target. The guidance system is also updated, flying the missile at a preset height above the operator's line of sight, so that the latter can still point his cross-hairs directly at the target. The BGM-71F does not replace but supplement the BGM-71E.
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http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-71.html


index.php
 
Similar, but FITOW was a Thorn EMI/Royal Ordnance product and was a retrofit kit for existing missiles. I think TOW 2B was all new builds, though I wouldn't swear to it.
 
You are right
Further Improved TOW (FITOW)Similar to TOW 2B, but funded by the British Ministry of Defense. It has a Thorn-EMI proximity fuze and smaller warhead than TOW 2B. The FITOW featured an active laser fuze, two downward firing self-forging warheads and guidance changes to enable top attacks against heavily armored vehicles. Thorn-EMI is prime contractor with Royal Ordnance, Westland Helicopters and GM-Hughes Electronics.The missile was announced in 1988 and entered production in late 1991. In 1994, the FITOW entered British Army Air Corps service, fitted to Lynx AH7 helicopters.
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More info here:
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1988/1988%20-%202033.html


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Thanks Gents

In 1994, the FITOW entered British Army Air Corps service, fitted to Lynx AH7 helicopters.
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Maybe I missed it but where did you find that quote?

Cheers

Bob
 
That quote comes from here:


https://www.militaryperiscope.com/mdb-smpl/weapons/missrock/antitank/w0003228.shtml


Sometimes, such sources are wrong, but poking around on AARSE and PPRUNE finds people remembering FITOW in service, so I think this is accurate.
 
Thanks Tom

I too did some poking around on various fora and found ex service personnel recalling the missile being in service
 

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