M901 ITV (parannettu hinausajoneuvo) – Valokuvat ja video

Valokuvagalleria M901 ITV, The M901 ITV (Improved TOW Vehicle) is a United States Army armored vehicle introduced into service in 1979, and designed to carry a dual M220 TOW launcher. It is based on the ubiquitous M113 Armored Personnel Carrier chassis. The M901 ITV is no longer in front line service with the US Army.

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The M901 ITV (Improved TOW Vehicle) is a type of armored vehicle that was developed by the United States in the late 1970s. It is designed to carry a dual M220 TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided) missile launcher, which can fire anti-tank missiles at long range and with high accuracy. The M901 ITV is based on the M113 armored personnel carrier chassis, which makes it versatile, reliable and easy to transport. The M901 ITV was used by the US Army in several conflicts, such as the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War, as well as by other countries that bought or received it as military aid.
The main feature of the M901 ITV is its “hammerhead” turret, which can be raised or lowered hydraulically and electrically. The turret contains a complete TOW weapon system, including a day sight tracker and a night sight for target acquisition and tracking. The turret can rotate 360 degrees and elevate from -30 to +35 degrees. The M901 ITV can fire two missiles without reloading and carries ten more missiles in a rack inside the vehicle. The reloading process is done under armor protection by tilting the turret back and accessing it through a rear roof hatch. The M901 ITV also has a machine gun mounted on a rail for self-defense and smoke grenade launchers for concealment.
The M901 ITV has some limitations as well. It cannot move while the turret is in firing position and it cannot fire while the turret is in stowed position. This makes it vulnerable to enemy fire and reduces its mobility. Moreover, the TOW missile system requires a continuous line of sight between the launcher and the missile until it hits the target. This means that the M901 ITV has to expose itself for the duration of the missile flight, which can take up to 20 seconds depending on the range. Additionally, the TOW missile system can be jammed or decoyed by modern electronic countermeasures.
M901 ITV ei ole enää käytössä Yhdysvaltain armeijan kanssa, koska se korvattiin kehittyneemmillä panssarintorjuntajärjestelmillä, kuten M2 Bradley -jalkaväen taisteluajoneuvolla ja Javelin-ohjuksella. Jotkut maat käyttävät sitä kuitenkin edelleen tai ovat muuttaneet versioita siitä arsenaaleissaan.