M901 Improved TOW Vehicle

Development and design

Its powered launcher raised a dual TOW system above the M113-derived hull for firing and folded down for travel and reloading. Later A1 and A3 versions incorporated newer TOW and M113 automotive standards. ^{1, 2}

Operational use

M901s served widely in U.S. mechanized and antitank formations during the late Cold War and were also exported. The vehicle could not fight effectively with the launcher stowed and had mobility restrictions when the launcher was raised, reinforcing its ambush-oriented employment. ^{1, 2}

Role and significance

The M901 is one of the clearest cross-type examples in the archive: the M113 chassis lineage is unmistakable, but the vehicle’s mission is tank destruction, not personnel transport. ^{1, 2}

Sources and further reading

Representative source set used for this profile. Primary image source and reuse terms are listed with the image.

1. U.S. Army ODIN, M901 Improved TOW Vehicle
2. U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal history, M901 ITV support in Desert Storm

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