US approves sale to Bahrain of 28 TOW missile Improved Target Acquisition Systems

Fergus Kelly July 31, 2018

1 minute read

The U.S. State Department approved the sale to Bahrain of 28 TOW Improved Target Acquisition Systems and related equipment, for an estimated cost of $80 million, a Defense Security Cooperation Agency release said.

The proposed sale also includes four TOW Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS) Floats, support equipment, spare parts, test equipment, training, and other associated equipment services, and support, the Monday, July 30 release said.

“The proposed sale of the TOW ITAS and technical support will advance Bahrain’s efforts to develop an integrated ground defense capability,” DSCA said.

The principal contractor is Raytheon Missile Systems.

The BGM-71 TOW – Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided – missile, first designed in the 1960s and produced in the 1970s to attack armored vehicles, can be fired by soldiers from portable launchers, as well as from vehicles and aircraft.

Once fired, the target must be kept in the shooter’s line of sight until the missile impacts.

The TOW Improved Target Acquisition System, also called ITAS, is an upgraded fire control subsystem that increases target detection, acquisition, recognition and engagement ranges. It includes Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) and other enhancements to increase detection and identification ranges by a factor of 2.