Tomahawk (missile)

Tomahawk (missile)
Name	Tomahawk
Caption	A Block IV Tomahawk launch from the USS *Shiloh*.
Type	Long-range subsonic cruise missile
Origin	United States
Used by	United States Navy, Royal Navy
Designer	General Dynamics (original), Raytheon
Manufacturer	Raytheon
Unit cost	~$2 million (FY2021, Block V)
Production date	1983–present
Service	1983–present
Engine	Williams International F107-WR-402 turbofan
Weight	2,900 lb (1,315 kg)
Length	18 ft 3 in (5.56 m)
Diameter	20.4 in (0.52 m)
Wingspan	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Speed	Subsonic, ~550 mph (880 km/h)
Range	1,000–1,500 nmi (1,850–2,800 km)
Guidance	INS, TERCOM, GPS, DSMAC
Launch platform	VLS, torpedo tube

Tomahawk (missile). The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile developed by the United States and operated primarily by the United States Navy and the Royal Navy. Introduced in the 1980s, it has become a cornerstone of American stand-off weapon capabilities, allowing for precise strikes against high-value targets from outside enemy air defenses. Its evolution from a nuclear-armed strategic weapon to a highly versatile conventional system has made it a critical asset in conflicts from the Gulf War to the present day.

Development and design

The Tomahawk's development began in the 1970s by General Dynamics under a United States Navy program to create a new generation of sea-launched cruise missiles. The design incorporated a small, efficient Williams International turbofan engine and a sophisticated guidance system blending INS with TERCOM. This terrain-contour-matching technology, developed by teams at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, allowed the missile to navigate autonomously over long distances. The program faced significant technical and budgetary challenges but was accelerated under the administration of President Ronald Reagan as part of a broader military buildup against the Soviet Union. The missile's airframe and warhead designs were rigorously tested at facilities like the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

Operational history

The Tomahawk first saw combat during the Gulf War in 1991, with launches from USS *Wisconsin* and other vessels marking the opening of the air campaign against Iraq. It was extensively used throughout the Balkans conflicts, including operations Deliberate Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Allied Force against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In the 2000s, it was a key weapon in the opening stages of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. More recent employment includes strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria and Iraq, as well as retaliatory strikes on Syrian government targets following the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack. The Royal Navy first used the missile in combat during the 2011 military intervention in Libya.

Variants

Major variants include the nuclear-armed BGM-109A TLAM-N (now retired), the conventional land-attack BGM-109C TLAM-C with a unitary warhead, and the submunition-dispensing BGM-109D TLAM-D. The Block III introduced GPS and improved accuracy, while the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk, produced by Raytheon, added two-way satellite data links for in-flight retargeting and battle damage assessment. The latest Block V upgrade includes the Maritime Strike Tomahawk with an anti-ship capability and the improved Block Va with a Joint Multi-Effects Warhead System for hardened targets. An earlier anti-ship variant, the BGM-109B TASM, was withdrawn from service in the 1990s.

Capabilities and specifications

The Tomahawk is approximately 18 feet long, weighs 2,900 pounds, and is powered by a Williams International F107 turbofan with a solid-fuel rocket booster for launch. It flies at subsonic speeds (approx. 550 mph) and has a range exceeding 1,000 nautical miles. Guidance is achieved through a combination of INS, GPS, TERCOM, and terminal guidance via DSMAC. The missile can be programmed to follow complex flight paths to avoid defenses and can loiter over a target area. Conventional variants carry a 1,000-pound class warhead, either a unitary WDU-36/B penetrator or submunitions.

Deployment and launch platforms

The primary launch platform is the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) installed on *Ticonderoga*-class cruisers and *Arleigh Burke*-class destroyers. It can also be launched from torpedo tubes on *Los Angeles*-class and *Virginia*-class attack submarines. The *Ohio*-class guided missile submarines (SSGNs) were converted to carry up to 154 Tomahawks each. Surface ships typically carry missiles in their forward VLS cells, while integration efforts have explored launch from other vessels, including the Zumwalt-class destroyer. The Royal Navy deploys them on its *Astute*-class submarines and *Type 23* frigates.

Strategic role and impact

The Tomahawk has fundamentally reshaped modern warfare by providing the President of the United States and combatant commanders like those at United States Central Command with a low-risk, high-precision option for power projection. Its ability to strike deep inland without risking aircrew lives makes it a politically significant tool, as seen in strikes ordered by Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. It serves as a key enabler for the AirSea Battle concept and subsequent Joint All-Domain Command and Control doctrines. The missile's evolution reflects broader shifts in military strategy from Cold War nuclear deterrence toward network-centric, conventional precision strike in conflicts like those in Syria and Yemen.

Category:Cruise missiles of the United States Category:Surface-to-surface missiles of the United States Category:Cold War missiles of the United States