American mysterious projectile: A game-changing weapon?
During exercises at Fort Irwin in California, the M2A2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) fired a mysterious projectile labelled "670." Here's what the Americans might be developing.
The portal The Warzone reports that during the Project Convergence-Capstone 5 exercises at Fort Irwin in California, the Bradley vehicle fired a mysterious projectile labelled "670." Although it is launched from the same launcher, it differs from the known versions of the BGM-71 TOW.
Project Convergence is an initiative by the U.S. Army that began in 2020, aimed at testing and integrating new technologies into existing weapon systems. The mysterious cylindrical projectile with a tri-part folding stabiliser casing may be a new "fire-and-forget" solution like the FGM-148 Javelin or could, for example, contain a reconnaissance drone, a strike drone, or a cluster warhead. Unfortunately, the details remain unknown.
M2/M3 Bradley — the U.S. Army's workhorse that requires improvements
It is worth noting that the U.S. Army is simultaneously working on upgrading the M2/M3 Bradley IFV until a successor is chosen and brought into service, with deployment planned for 2029. One of the key aspects of the Bradley that needs improvement is the anti-tank weaponry used.
This includes the dual BGM-71 TOW missile launcher, which has been in production since the 1970s. Although it has been modernised numerous times over the decades along with the missiles, some system shortcomings have remained unchanged.
In the 1990s, the Americans introduced TOW-2B missiles that attack from above during flight over the target, which, along with the classic TOW-2A, are an effective measure against Russian tanks in Ukraine. However, the guidance system requires controlling the fired missile until it hits the target. This necessitates a stationary position and is only effective for conducting ambushes.
This is an outdated concept in the era of developing "fire-and-forget" missiles, which could be launched while on the move. It is possible the mysterious 670 projectile could be such a solution. It is worth noting that the Americans cancelled the TOW-FF Fire and Forget missile programme in 2002, but amid the war in Ukraine, it might have been resumed.
