Another factor involved is how the TOW-2 family is divided. Simply put the
TOW-2A are your tandem warhead mounted missiles. It is considered a direct attack weapon. you'll notice a multicharge here as well for the tandem penetrator.
The
TOW-2B are multiple explosive warhead missiles that are designed as "top attack" missiles and will react differently when hitting a target vs. tandem missile. Both will defeat ERA but generally specking a tandem warhead is considered more efficient at it. But remember you can't cover the top of a tank fully with ERA ethier.
The TOW-2 family portrait...
Good background on all this concerning the TOW-2...
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/tow/tow5.html
It is important to note Tow represents many other folks ATGW systems out there as well as shoulder launched systems. I (And others.) have written/discussed much on ERA in the MBT Thread and elsewhere. It is somewhat more complicated then this however, but you need to ask yourself why certain Eastern European and Asian countries rely so heavily on ERA and most Western and certain Asian countries don't. It boils down to the research in the
STEEL and practice of using advanced applique armor solutions. This is why the Russian
ARMATA is so important to them. If it lives up to expectations it will compete with the best out there. You can also mark the shift in the Ukraine as well with the OPLOT and more so the OPLOT-M.
ERA does serve a purpose and it does generally what it's designed to do. But NERA type coupled with defensive systems will be more of the future and we're seeing it now. ABRAMS and BRADLEY couple very well see TROPHY or similar systems in the current games lifespan.
NERA...
The easy read...
http://www.aerodefensetech.com/compo...achinery/12841
The technical read but, with neat pictures of the test.
http://www.inl.gov/technicalpublicat...ts/5901287.pdf
Regards,
Pat