Toophan

Toophan-3
General Information
Type	Anti-tank guided missile
Manufacturer	IAIO
Commissioning	2000s
Technical specifications
length	116 cm
diameter	15 cm
Combat weight	19.1 kg
drive	Solid rocket engine
speed	240 m / s (average speed) 310 m / s ( Vmax )
Range	3500 m (day) 2500 m (night) 650 m (minimum)
Furnishing
Target location	SACLOS , via steering wire; later versions with laser aiming control
Warhead	Tandem shaped charge , projectile-forming charge (EFP)
Weapon platforms	Vehicles, helicopters and tripods
Lists on the subject

Toophan ( Persian توفان, 'Sturm') is an Iranian anti-tank guided missile that is produced in different versions. Toophan 1 is a reconstruction of the US BGM-71 TOW .

technology

Toophan is a tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided missile specifically designed for combat against armored vehicles. The respective versions differ in some cases considerably with regard to the warhead, the range and the target location. The published data come from official information from the Iranian arms export department. Accordingly, a neutral evaluation of the specified performance values ​​is not possible. The guided missile can be launched from armored vehicles (for the Iranian armed forces Boragh or M113 ), helicopters or a tripod .

development

After an extremely short development period, series production of the US BGM-71 TOW began as early as 1968. The first copies were delivered to the US armed forces in 1970 . Outside the US, TOWs have been produced under license in various countries . Well over 620,000 TOWs have been produced so far. For example, Iran was able to obtain license production rights to the TOW missiles before the Islamic revolution . Development work on the Toophan began in the 2000s and was delivered in the middle of the decade. The missile is said to be compatible with BGM-71 launchers.

variants

Toophan-5 missile

• Toophan / Toophan-1 : Copy of the first production version of the US-American BGM-71A TOW.
• Toophan-2 : with tandem shaped charge ; comparable to the version BGM-71E TOW 2A.
• Toophan-2B : Improved Toophan-2 version with a heavier warhead and higher penetration power .
• Toophan-3 : missile with top attack function; corresponds to BGM-71F TOW-2B. The guided missile flies over the target and detonates EFP warheads pointing downwards using sensors . Armoring of> 80 mm RHA equivalent should be able to penetrate.
• Toophan-4 : Missile with a thermobaric warhead from 2015, which was presented to the public at armaments fairs in 2017. Toophan-4 was exported to Yemen and Iraq .

Further developments are the versions Toophan-5 and Qaem / Qaem-M , which however have no direct TOW counterparts.

commitment

Toophan missiles of various versions are used in the Syrian war by several conflicting parties and in the Houthi conflict . Hezbollah also used the guided missile against Israeli Merkava main battle tanks in the 2006 Lebanon War .

Users

•  Iran
  • Iranian Revolutionary Guard
  • Iranian army
•  Iraq
  • Iraqi police
  • People's mobilization units
    • Badr Brigades
    • Liwa Ansar al-Marja'iyya
    • Saraya as-Salam
    • Harakat Hesbollah al-Nujaba
    • Firqa al-Abbas al-Qitalya
•  Syria
  • Syrian army
•  Yemen
  • Houthis
•  Palestine
  • Al-Quds Brigades
•  Lebanon
  • Hezbollah
• People's Defense Units

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Data from the Iranian export authorities
2. ↑ Description on globalsecurity.org
3. ↑ Missile.index , accessed October 4, 2011 (English / Japanese)
4. ↑ Iran shows Toophan-3 anti-tank guided weapon at Baghdad arms expo
5. ↑ Description on globalsecurity.org
6. ↑ http://armamentresearch.com/iran-unveils-toophan-3-anti-tank-guided-weapon-at-baghdad-arms-expo/
7. ↑ IBPUS.com: Iran Armed Forces Weapon Systems Handbook Volume 1 Strategic Information and Weapon Systems, p. 129. (English)
8. ↑ Iran's Maritime Mirage at militaryedge.org
9. ↑ Mikhail Barabanov, scientific editor of Arms Export: Hezbollah's Examination . Kommersant. August 23, 2006. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
10. ↑ Islamic World Update: #Iraq began to acquire new Toophan ATGM made in # Iranpic.twitter.com / kqY6GcWbGn. In: @islamicworldupd. July 1, 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
11. ↑ Islamic World Update: Pic of #Iranian Toophan ATGM # Iraqpic.twitter.com / iPcI3VIl18. In: @islamicworldupd. August 19, 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
12. ↑ ^{a b} ??Iraq & Middle East Updates: Iraqi Hashd forces (AAH) & Fed Police units destroy Daesh VBIED using Iranian TOW (Toophan) missiles #Iraq # Samarrapic.twitter.com / QJXvq0ibBH. In: @iraqliveupdate. 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
13. ↑ H. Sumeri: Made in #Iran: Toophan ATGM (reverse-engineered American TOW) used by # Iraq's Hashd during Samarra / Tharthar. op.pic.twitter.com/XhBjEIxtoH. In: @iraqisecurity. Twitter, April 4, 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
14. ↑ ^{a b} Green lemon: #Iraq First confirmed Dehlavieh ATGM (Iranian Kornet) in Iraq. Distinctive DIO red band also used on Toofan ATGM.pic.twitter.com/URO0fcHBZh. In: @green_lemonnn. 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
15. ↑ Green lemon: #Iraq Iranian TOW / Toofan ATGM used by Liwa Ansar al Marjaiat against IS forces in Fallujah.pic.twitter.com/jnKlyawB0c. In: @green_lemonnn. April 14, 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
16. ↑ Green lemon: #PT Sarya al-Salam bgd, Second group seen using Iranian TOW ATGM in #Iraq. notice the Iran Elec. Inds. green tapepic.twitter.com/4y8OliIxvm. In: @green_lemonnn. September 12, 2015, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
17. ↑ Aldin ??: Mounted Toophan ATGM in Southern #Aleppo #Syria used by Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujabapic.twitter.com/jODsPXjs4q. In: @aldin_ww. August 10, 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
18. ↑ BM-21 GRAD: SyAA soldier with Iranian Toophan ATGM (BGM-71 TOW copy) today, likely in Aleppopic.twitter.com/KhazntpW99. In: @ bm21_grad. April 27, 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
19. ↑ SouthFront: Houthis Destroy Saudi Vehicles With Iranian Copy Of TOW ATGM (video). November 29, 2018, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
20. ↑ Aldin ??: #Iran Toophan ATGM shown in the latest video of #Palestine Al-Quds Brigades # Israelpic.twitter.com / dERkVBQUOL. In: @aldin_ww. July 30, 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
21. ↑ Plutonium General: #Hezbollah whit #Toophan ATGM (Irani TOW) toast a #JN T 72 tank near air defense base # Aleppopic.twitter.com / jyfvGWeGMY. In: @nukesn_missiles. 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
22. ↑ Yossi Mansharof: Iranian media: # Lebanon's #Hezbollah fighter holds # Iran's Toofan anti-tank missile system in # Syriapic.twitter.com / 1MekdFqlJZ. In: @yossi_mansharof. February 1, 2016, accessed November 20, 2019 . 
23. ↑ Julian Röpcke: #BREAKINGNEWS. #Iran supplied the #YPG with the Toophan-1 ATGM to attack #Turkish tanks in #Afrin. See the yellow rings around the tripod. No BGM-71 TOW. #OliveBranch # Syriapic.twitter.com / yJoAHxAzXN. In: @julianroepcke. Twitter, January 30, 2018, accessed November 20, 2019 .