CAMARILLO, Calif., Aug. 30 -- Advanced Photonix Inc., a manufacturer of optoelectronic devices for the telecommunication, military/aerospace, industrial sensing, medical and homeland security markets, announced today that it has been awarded a contract from a major US Army defense contractor in excess of $1 million for the detector assembly in support of the tube-launched, optical-tracked, wire command-link guided (TOW) missile. The one-year contract will commence shipping in the third quarter of 2006. The TOW missile being launched. (Photo: US Army)The TOW missile system is mounted on various platforms including the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the improved TOW vehicle, the Humvee and the AH-1F Cobra helicopter. In addition, it can be operated in a dismounted ground mode. The TOW missile is guided to its target by the gunner keeping the crosshairs on the target. Corrective information is sent to the missile by two thin wires that deploy in flight. For more information, visit: www.advancedphotonix.com; more information on the TOW system can be found at www.army.mil/fact_files_site/tow/.