Credit
Mztourist · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗ · Modified
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At a glance
Akeron MPlarger figure on 0 of 1
BGM-71 TOWlarger figure on 1 of 1
Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.
Measured figures
Configuration
| Specification | Akeron MP | BGM-71 TOW |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Anti-tank guided missile Surface-to-surface missile[source] | Anti-tank missile[source] |
| Place of origin | France[source] | United States[source] |
| In service | 2018 – present[source] | 1970–present[source] |
| Used by | See operators[source] | See Operators[source] |
with probe extended (some variants have no probe)
Single sourcewith probe folded
Single source1.16–1.17 m with probe folded 1.41–1.51 m with probe extended (some variants have no probe)[source]
incl. Tube
Single sourcelaunch tube included Firing post tripod and battery included
Single sourceMissile
Single sourceMissile: 15 kg (33 lb), launch tube included Firing post: 11 kg (24 lb), tripod and battery included[source]
15kg (incl. Tube)[source]
TOW 2B Aero · encased · Mass
Single sourceTOW 2B Aero · missile, unencased · Mass
Single sourceMaximum; Maximum speed
Single source278–320 m/s[source]
Operational; Operational range · source measurement 1
Single sourceOperational; Operational range · source measurement 2
Single source150 m – 5 km[source]
Operational; Basic TOW most variants
Single sourceOperational; Operational range
Single sourcepenetration 430–900 mm RHA
Single source3.9–6.14 kg (penetration 430–900 mm RHA )[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
| Designed | 2010 – 2015[source] | 1963–1968[source] |
|---|
| Manufacturer | MBDA France[source] | RTX[source] |
|---|
| Produced | 2016 – present[source] | — |
|---|
| No. built | 400 launch units and 3,000 missiles ordered for the French Armed Forces as of November 2023 (total export numbers difficult to assess)[source] | > 700,000[source] |
|---|
| Warhead | Tandem HEAT[source] | — |
|---|
| Blast yield | Can penetrate 1,000 mm of RHA Can penetrate 2,000 mm of concrete[source] | — |
|---|
| Engine | solid-fuel rocket, two-phase thrust ( soft launch )[source] | — |
|---|
| Guidance system | infrared homing and television guidance[source] | Optically tracked, wire-guided ( wireless radio-guided in RF variants)[source] |
|---|
| Launch platform | Tripod (man-portable) Combat vehicles Naval vessels[source] | — |
|---|
| Launch platforms | Multi-platforms[source] | High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)-mounted Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS), HMMWV-mounted M220A4 launcher (TOW 2), Stryker Anti-Tank Guided Missile Vehicles, and Bradley Fighting Vehicle Systems (A2/A2ODS/A2OIF/A3)[source]TOW family · named platforms Marine HMMWV-mounted M220A4 launcher (TOW 2), LAV-ATGM Vehicle, and AH1W Cobra attack helicopter[source]TOW family · Marine platforms |
|---|
| Wars | — | Vietnam War Western Sahara War Third Indochina War Lebanese Civil War 1982 Lebanon War Soviet–Afghan War Iran–Iraq War Persian Gulf War War in Somalia Iraq War Syrian civil war War in Iraq (2013–2017) Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine Yemeni Civil War Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen 2016 India-Pakistan Border skirmishes Conflict in Najran, Jizan and Asir 2025 Cambodia‒Thailand conflict[source] |
|---|
| Designer | — | Hughes Aircraft Company[source] |
|---|
| Unit cost | — | $93,640 (2B Aero), $54,956 (Bunker Buster) FY2021 £8,500 (1984)[source] |
|---|
| Reported operators | — |
|
|---|
TOW Bunker Buster · missile · Mass
Single source49.8 pounds[source]TOW 2B Aero · missile, unencased
65 pounds[source]TOW 2B Aero · encased
45.2 pounds[source]TOW Bunker Buster · missile
TOW 2B Aero · maximum range · Maximum range
Single source