Saudi Arabia requests wireless TOW for national guard

SANG Cadillac Gage V-150 (now Textron LAV-150) armed with TOW guided anti-tank missiles. Source: SANG

Saudi Arabia has requested the sale of nearly 15,000 Raytheon TOW wireless anti-tank missiles for its national guard and another 1,750 of the wire-guided version for its army, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 5 December.

The proposed deal for the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG) includes 9,650 BGM-71E TOW 2A Radio Frequency (RF) missiles and 4,145 BGM-71F TOW 2B Aero RF missiles. Estimated to cost USD900 million, the package would also include 91 TOW 2A and 49 TOW 2B 'fly-to-buy' test missiles, related equipment, spares, and technical support services.

Raytheon announced in 2010 that it had won a USD55 million contract to supply the SANG with wireless 2A RF missiles.

The 'A' variant of the TOW has a direct-attack tandem shaped-charge warhead for penetrating explosive reactive armour, while the 'B' fires its warhead downwards as if flies over its target to penetrate its weaker top armour. There is also a 'bunker buster' version.

While there has been no confirmation that Saudi Arabia has ordered any of these helicopters, Boeing said in January that it was close to finalising a deal to supply the SANG with 36 AH-6is, which could be used as the platform for the TOW missiles. The company announced at the Dubai Airshow in November that it had been awarded a contract to supply AH-6i helicopters to an unidentified customer.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has requested the sale of 1,000 BGM-71 2A and 750 TOW 2B missiles, as well as an additional seven test missiles of each type, for the RSLF at an estimated cost of USD170 million. The wire-guided version of the missile is less vulnerable to electronic countermeasures than the newer wireless version, but their trailing guidance wires can snag obstacles.

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