T.O.W. Missile Question!

>>31767142
The exhausts of a TOW are on the sides. The wire spools out the back and there is a flare there too. It is to help the gunner track the missile if I remember correctly.

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>>31767142

Tube launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire Guided (TOW)

Flare or other beacon source to watch where it's going.

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>>31767173

Showing the side exhaust ports.

There is a launch motor rearward, but it should be mostly expended once it leaves the tube.

>>31767173
Why is the gunner visually tracking the missile?

>>31767196
[Optical] not equal to [Visual]. That diagram seems to indicate an electronic beacon with no mention of a "flare" on the TOW2A.

I think any glow we see out the back is just from the rocket motor if you guys didn't guess that.

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As I understand it, the TOW was of the 2nd Generation of wire-guided anti-tank missiles. The first generation required the operator to manually steer the missile onto the target using a joystock. The 2nd Generation used sensors on the launcher to track the flare and automatically guide the missile onto the target. All the user had to do is line up the launcher's sight onto the target.

Later models of the TOW include top attack mode.

>>joystock

That should be joystick.

>>31767293
My post

>>31767285
But at a distance, the two different exhausts are hard to distinguish from one another and that is why missiles sometimes look like they are shaking in flight.

>>31767296
Exactly SACLOS missiles like the TOW2 or MILAN have no reason to have a visually identifiable flare on the back.

>>31767293
>>31767338
You still need to see where the missile is going so you can make proper corrections mid flight. TOW2 is not fire and forget
It's not like the enemy can see the flare from the incoming angle

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>>31767394
>You still need to see where the missile is going so you can make proper corrections mid flight.

No, you need to keep track of the target via the sight, the missile makes the proper corrections in mid flight on its own.

>>31767394
>You still need to see where the missile is going so you can make proper corrections mid flight.

SACLOS. You don't make 'corrections'. You hold your point of aim on a target and the missile steers itself to your point of aim. There is no reason to see the missile visually.

>TOW2 is not fire and forget

Correct.

>It's not like the enemy can see the flare from the incoming angle

The enemy doesn't need to be able to see your flare to jam it. Literally anyone holding a hand held flare would confuse a TOW if you guys are correct.

>>31767142
TOW has a xenon lamp and an IR emitter. The xenon lamp would be bright white, not red, so what you're seeing is rocket exhaust.

>>31767142
The red light you see in the images is the cameras picking up the IR light from the Xenon beacon.
There is no rocket motor in the back of the missile.

>>31767142
>>31767173
>>31767196
>>31767285
>>31767293
>>31767296
It's basically a grid inside the circle of the optics that the control system in the launcher uses. As the missile flies it naturally deviates from the flight path, the light is used with the grid to transmit flight corrections to the missile to get it centered using the wire it unspools in flight.

>>31767552
>it's not the xenon lamp, it's rocket exhaust
>>31768109
>it's the xenon lamp, there is no rocket exhaust
/k/ - A Magical Place

>>31768843
>the light is used with the grid to transmit flight corrections

Yes, but the light used is from the non-visible spectrum and is additionally encrypted to prevent 'jamming'.

>>31768109
Why/how would a camera pick up IR light?

>>31770612

I'm guessing they mean cheap(er) cameras don't filter IR as much, ask it shows up in the video? Look at your TV remote with your phone camera.

>>31770612
basically the camera operates on a wider frequency range than a human eye. To test this you can take a tv remote and look at it through your phones camera and you will see the IR LED flash when you press a button.

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>>31767338
>Exactly SACLOS missiles like the TOW2 or MILAN have no reason to have a visually identifiable flare on the back.

That's what the SA in SACLOS means.

"SEMI-AUTOMATIC" as in the operator needs to keep the crosshairs on the target at all times, while the circuitry in the launcher units tracks the missile's deflection from line of sight and then makes corrections to get it back on course via wires. Hence the wire-guided part.

It's 1960s technology, but it's horribly effective in good weather.

Now missiles like the Israeli Spike and Javelin are way more sophisticated.

>>31771077
The TOW concept is a toy compared to the Javelin. Multi-camera IR-lock that can track moving targets and is fire and forget.

>>31767142
When the missile is fired there is a flight motor, after the flight motor runs out of fuel the missile is gliding. The glow you see is either the flight motor or heat from the flight motor. When you are behind the system and firing you can actually see the missile going down range as you guide it onto target.
>>31767296
No. All versions that are in use are user guided. All versions are also wire guided except for the TOW2RF which uses radio frequencies to send signals to the missile.
Also technically when it comes to top attack it is based on the missile TOW2B Aero being the only top attack variant.
>>31767447
The gunner makes corrections midflight via the handgrips on the system and keeps the crosshairs aligned on target, the wings and control surfaces (rear fins) actually move to adjust the flight.
>>31771129
Both have their places but I agree the Javelin is hands down the better of the 2 systems.

>>31771037
>>31771045
Ok, but there doesn't appear to be any encryption coming form that light and the wavelength is probably not something that comes from a T.V. or other common infrared source. The IR strobe is designed not to be mimicked by systems like Shtora.

>>31771077
I get that, it is everyone else getting Optical tracking confused with visual tracking.

>>31767476
>Literally anyone holding a hand held flare would confuse a TOW if you guys are correct.
In case of TOW/ITOW this flare must use the same wavelength and flicker with determined frequency to confuse missile tracker. And TOW-2 or newer are invulnerable to jamming - frequency is random and controlled by MGS. Also TOW-2 missile has thermal beacon, which can't be imitated with lamps.