Raytheon [RTN] and Thales signed a 27-month development and five-year production agreement in support of future improvements of Raytheon’s tube-launched, optically-tracked, wireless-guided (TOW) weapon system, the companies said at Eurosatory in Paris on Monday.
Thales has committed an about $20.2 million investment in the design and qualification of two new TOW missile sub-assemblies that will address obsolescence, increase system fuze safety and reduce total missile cost.
Photo: Raytheon
“Re-investing in the TOW weapon system for the U.S. government, our international partners and TOW users around the globe ensures increased capability and enables Raytheon to continue delivering affordable precision,” said Michelle Lohmeier, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems’ Land Warfare Systems product line. “This development activity will enable increased safety compliance and warfighter survivability while addressing obsolescence issues and incorporating cost saving technologies.”
Stuart Boulton, Thales’s vice president, Global missile electronics business, said: “We have a long standing relationship for the supply of high performance missile electronic systems to Raytheon Missile Systems. We are delighted to be working in the Raytheon team to support the development of the new TOW weapon system.”
The TOW system, with multi-mission TOW 2A, TOW 2B, TOW 2B Aero and TOW Bunker Buster missiles, is a long-range, precision anti-armor, anti-fortification and anti-amphibious landing weapon system used throughout the world.
The TOW weapon system is expected to be in service with the U.S. military beyond 2025, Raytheon said.
More than 40 international armed forces use TOW, which also is integrated on more than 15,000 ground, vehicle and helicopter platforms worldwide.
Raytheon has delivered more than 675,000 TOW missiles to U.S. and allied warfighters.