Recently we posted a video of a Ukrainian M2A2 Bradley IFV scanning for targets using its thermal sight and engaging a target with its M242 Bushmaster 25mm chain gun. In this video, the Bradley opts to employ its secondary weapon, the TOW-2 Anti-tank Guided Missile (ATGM). The Bradley scans while on the move, and the gunner switches periodically to higher magnification in order to examine a potential target. The gunner eventually identifies a target and fires. The initial blast of the TOW launch motor can be seen in the thermal image, and as the smoke clears and the missile takes flight, it can be seen racing downrange towards its target. The missile strikes its target, and the primary detonation of the warhead can be seen, followed by the secondary detonation of the fuel and ammunition in the target. The gunner then switches to a second target and fires another missile, striking another target. The Bradley then retreats.

While the Bushmaster chain gun with its signature thump is considered the primary weapon of the Bradley, it is the TOW-2 ATGM that allows this fairly light-skinned vehicle to punch above its weight. The TOW is a tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missile with a range of 3,750 meters. Some variants possess a to-down attack capability, designed to penetrate the thinner armor on top of tank turrets, and tandem warheads designed to defeat explosive reactive armor. As it exits the launcher, two thin copper wires spool out of the back of the rocket, allowing the gunner to track the target and guide the missile to its destination. As long as the sight reticle remains on the target, the gunner will be rewarded for his efforts. The missiles are fired from a launcher on the side of the Bradley’s turret, with two rounds ready and reloads stowed in the back. The Bushmaster chain gun and the TOW make a lethal combination that allows the Bradley to engage a variety of targets.

Many years ago, I was an anti-tank platoon commander, and we put our share of TOWs down range. The system sometimes has some quirks, but after over four decades it remains an effective tool on the battlefield. The much younger version of me got a thrill out of the mission, for you are, in essence, hunting apex predators and stalking prey with the ability to kill you. Hunting tanks with ATGMs like the TOW carries an inherent risk because the gunner must remain aimed at his target for the duration of the missile’s flight, and in that time the target can return fire (tank rounds travel faster than ATGMs), or another enemy vehicle can spot the missile signature and engage your position. But an IFV’s mission is not to go toe to toe with tanks, it is to protect your infantry squad until they reach their objective, and to provide supporting fires as they close with and destroy the enemy.

About the Author

Cam

Cam served as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, deploying to the Horn of Africa and participating in combat operations in Iraq. He currently works in the maritime industry and in the defense sector as an instructor of combined arms planning and operations. An avid sailor, Cam founded and directs a nonprofit that supports veterans and first responders through sailing.