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June 12, 2003

Since the end of the Cold War, there have not been a lot of opportunities for the U.S. Army to use the thousands of TOW missiles against enemy tanks. American tanks and aircraft are more than capable of taking care of any hostile tanks that show up. But the infantry has lots of problems with bunkers and other enemy fortifications. So the army is converting TOW missiles, at a cost of $20,000 each, by replacing the armor piercing warhead with an anti-personnel/high explosive warhead that can blast through brick and concrete walls (leaving a 29 inch diameter hold) and kill anyone inside the bunker or building. This is more effective than using artillery, although a lot more expensive.