Lebanon Demonstrates US' TOW-II Missiles

The Lebanese army on Wednesday conducted a live-fire demonstration of TOW-II missiles, supplied by the United States.

The US Ambassador David Hale was quoted as saying by AP that the demonstration at a Lebanese army base in the eastern Baalbek region follows the delivery of more than 200 TOW-II missiles and dozens of launchers in late May at worth over $10 million.

The equipment is jointly financed by Saudi Arabia and the US.

Apart from the anti-tank guided missiles, the shipment that arrived in Beirut in batches this year also included weapons and ammunition. America has provided the Lebanese armed forces with $82.5 million worth of weapons and ammunition since August 2014, US Embassy said.

Lebanon has become the fifth-largest recipient of US foreign military assistance, Hale told media in February.

The TOW 2A, TOW 2B Aero and TOW Bunker Buster missiles can be fired from all TOW launchers, including the Improved Target Acquisition Systems (ITAS), Stryker anti-tank guided missile vehicle (modified ITAS) and Bradley Fighting Vehicles (Improved Bradley Acquisition Subsystem).

With its extended range performance, the TOW Weapon System is the long-range precision, heavy anti-tank and assault weapon system of choice for the US Army Stryker, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, ITAS High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle and Light Armored Vehicle-Anti-tank platforms.

The TOW weapon system will be in service with the US military beyond 2050. The US supplied TOW-II missiles to aid Lebanon to combat against Islamic extremists along the country's border with Syria.