Tomahawk Cruise Missile

Tomahawk Cruise Missile is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile used by the United States Navy and the Royal Navy to attack a variety of targets, including ships, submarines, and land-based targets. The missile is manufactured by Raytheon Technologies and has been used in several military operations, including the Gulf War, Operation Allied Force, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The development of the Tomahawk Cruise Missile involved collaboration between General Dynamics, Hughes Aircraft, and McDonnell Douglas. The missile has been deployed on various platforms, including Ohio-class submarines, Ticonderoga-class cruisers, and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

● Introduction

The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has a long history, dating back to the 1970s, when the United States Department of Defense initiated the development of a new cruise missile to replace the AGM-12 Bullpup and AGM-78 Standard ARM missiles. The program involved several major contractors, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. The missile's design was influenced by the Kh-55 cruise missile used by the Soviet Union and the Exocet missile used by the French Navy. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has been used in various military operations, including the Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Odyssey Dawn, in conjunction with other assets, such as B-2 Spirit bombers and F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets.

● Design_and_Development

The design and development of the Tomahawk Cruise Missile involved a team of engineers and scientists from various organizations, including the Naval Research Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The missile's propulsion system was developed by Williams International, while the guidance system was developed by Rockwell Collins and Honeywell International. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile's airframe was designed by Northrop Grumman and manufactured by Vought Aircraft Industries. The missile's development was also influenced by the US Air Force's AGM-86B cruise missile program and the US Army's BGM-71 TOW missile program. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has undergone several upgrades and modernization programs, including the Tactical Tomahawk program, which was led by Raytheon Technologies and involved the participation of BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin.

● Operational_History

The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has been used in several military operations, including the Gulf War, where it was used to attack Iraqi Republican Guard targets, and the Kosovo War, where it was used to attack Yugoslav Army targets. The missile has also been used in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where it was used to attack Iraqi Army targets, and in Operation Enduring Freedom, where it was used to attack Taliban targets. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has been deployed on various platforms, including USS Missouri (BB-63), USS Wisconsin (BB-64), and HMS Astute (S119). The missile has been used in conjunction with other assets, such as F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, F-22 Raptor fighter jets, and B-1B Lancer bombers, to achieve strategic objectives, as outlined by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

● Technical_Characteristics

The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has a length of 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 meters) and a diameter of 21.5 inches (54.6 cm). The missile has a wingspan of 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 meters) and a launch weight of 2,900 pounds (1,315 kg). The Tomahawk Cruise Missile is powered by a Williams International F107 turbofan engine, which provides a thrust of 600 pounds-force (2.67 kN). The missile has a range of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 km) and a speed of around 550 miles per hour (885 km/h). The Tomahawk Cruise Missile is guided by a combination of inertial navigation system and GPS, and uses a terrain contour matching system to navigate. The missile's propulsion system is similar to that of the AGM-129 ACM cruise missile, while its guidance system is similar to that of the BGM-109G cruise missile.

● Variants

There are several variants of the Tomahawk Cruise Missile, including the BGM-109A anti-ship variant, the BGM-109C land-attack variant, and the BGM-109D dispersion variant. The BGM-109A variant is equipped with a W84 nuclear warhead, while the BGM-109C variant is equipped with a Unitary warhead. The BGM-109D variant is equipped with a BLU-97 submunition. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has also been modified to carry a variety of other payloads, including the W80 nuclear warhead and the BLU-109 penetration warhead. The development of the Tomahawk Cruise Missile variants involved collaboration between Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman, and was influenced by the US Navy's Aegis Combat System and the US Air Force's Joint Direct Attack Munition program.

● Operators

The Tomahawk Cruise Missile is operated by the United States Navy and the Royal Navy. The missile is deployed on various platforms, including Ohio-class submarines, Ticonderoga-class cruisers, and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has also been exported to several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. The missile has been used in conjunction with other assets, such as F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, to achieve strategic objectives, as outlined by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile has played a significant role in several military operations, including the Operation Desert Storm and the Operation Enduring Freedom, and has been recognized for its effectiveness by the US Department of Defense and the UK Ministry of Defence. Category:Missiles