U.S. Approves Sale of 1,000 TOW Anti-Tank Missiles to Saudi Arabia

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – To address current and future threats, the United States has approved potential sale of more than 1,000 TOW anti-tank missiles under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program to its key Middle Eastern ally, Saudi Arabia.

The proposed sale includes 507 TOW 2A and 507 TOW 2B anti-tank missiles from their manufacturer, RTX (formerly Raytheon), valued at approximately $440 million (RM1.92 billion).

The proposal has been submitted to the U.S. Congress for final approval.

“This sale will enhance Saudi Arabia’s capability to counter present and future threats by bolstering its defense capabilities,” according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), an agency under the U.S. Department of State.

The proposed missile sale follows two recent contracts awarded by the U.S. Army to RTX for TOW 2B anti-tank missiles, worth $676 million (RM2.9 billion).

The TOW (Tube-launched, Optically Tracked, Wire-guided) missile system is an anti-armor weapon with two main variants, 2A and 2B, both capable of engaging various types of targets.

The TOW 2A variant is designed for direct frontal attacks, making it highly effective against bunkers and reinforced defensive positions.

Meanwhile, the TOW 2B is built for top-down attacks, targeting the “weakest” part of a vehicle – the upper section, where armor is generally thinner.

The TOW 2A variant is well-suited for urban combat and fortified positions, while the TOW 2B variant is optimized for open-field engagements against mobile targets.

Both TOW 2A and 2B missiles have an effective range of between 3.75 km and 4.5 km.

According to RTX, the TOW 2A is particularly effective in urban combat and against reinforced fortifications, while the TOW 2B shows superior performance in open-field combat against moving targets.

Saudi Arabia’s armed forces have several platforms capable of integrating these TOW missiles, including the M2 Bradley armored vehicles and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.

The proposed sale package also includes support components and testing equipment, simulators, generators, spare parts, communication systems, software, construction facilities, technical documents, and various engineering, logistics, and training support.

Although first introduced in the 1970s, the TOW anti-tank missile remains widely used by the U.S. military and over 40 countries worldwide, with more than 700,000 units produced and exported globally.

The U.S. Army plans to continue using the TOW system until the 2050s, incorporating a series of capability upgrades and modernization efforts. — DSA