What's the Difference Between Rebels' "TOW" and PYD's "MILAN"? - It's Over 9000!

What's the Difference Between Rebels' "TOW" and PYD's "MILAN"?

Omar Al-Hasan, Baladi News

Since the western-backed Kurdish Units creeped into Syria, unprecedented levels of support for them by the international coalition started to appear gradually.

A picture for one of the PYD militia members appeared carrying a MILAN launcher equipped with a thermal telescope which reflects the level of support this militia is receiving.

MILAN missiles are one of the best anti-tank missiles in the world, with a range of 2 to 3 km and have the ability to penetrate more than 650 mm in steel.

The features related to the size and weight of these launchers make them easier to use than TOW missiles, especially that they are much smaller and easier to carry, equip and move, in addition to their ability of destroying most of the tanks existed in Syria.

In addition to the unprecedented aerial support, in which coalition aircrafts participate against "ISIS" which carried out thousands of sorties in Syria by using B52 launchers for the benefit of Kurdish militias that received huge amounts of multiple weapons, especially individual, medium and anti-tank types.

Due to the large military support provided to the Kurds, the military doctrine of the Kurdish militias has witnessed rapid and shocking change, as its main mission turned into pointing the targets for coalition aircrafts only and combing the areas after the shelling, while avoiding entering into direct confrontation.

While the rebels got TOW missiles in limited numbers, PYD militia has got newer types of anti-armors, where several types of anti-armors appeared in PYD's control, some of which are directed and others are not.

The mission of these weapons is primarily repelling attacks by vehicle bombs, which have become a real nightmare for these militia. They depend on the aerial capacity for the coalition aircrafts, without any reliance on their firing abilities.

Those French anti-tank missiles (MILAN) emerged in the hands of these militias as equipped with thermal telescopes that have not been seen on any TOW missile launchers with the rebels, as they are suffering seriously from the lack of night vision equipment, especially in the field of anti-tank launchers, which could have a significant impact on the conduct of operations if adequately available.

This clearly indicates the great preference for the Kurdish militias on the rebels, who never get such equipment from their supporters, especially with the broad night vision equipment used by the regime, who's believed to be the first to train the Kurdish militias to use MILAN missiles before France provided them with many weapons including those missiles.

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