Tomahawk missiles

Extracted Attributes

• Type

  Long-range subsonic cruise missile

• Speed

  885 km/h (550 mph / subsonic)

• Developer

  Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (Laurel, Maryland, USA)

• Maximum Range

  2,400 km (approx. 1,500 miles)

• Missile Length

  5.6 meters (18.4 feet)

• Guidance Systems

  GPS, Inertial Navigation, TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching), DMAC

• Targeting Accuracy

  Approximately 5 meters (16 feet)

• Official Designation

  BGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM)

• Current Primary Manufacturer

  Raytheon

Timeline

• The U.S. Navy initiates the development of sea-launched cruise missiles. (Source: CSIS Missile Threat)

  1972-01-01

• Tests of 23 Tomahawk missiles begin over northern Canada under the Canada-U.S. Test and Evaluation Program. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1983-01-01

• Tomahawk cruise missiles see their first operational combat use during Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf War. (Source: U.S. Navy Fact File)

  1991-01-17

• McDonnell Douglas becomes the sole manufacturer of Tomahawks, producing Block II and Block III variants. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1992-01-01

• Hughes Aircraft outbids McDonnell Douglas to become the sole supplier of Tomahawk missiles. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1994-01-01

• The US and UK sign a Foreign Military Sales Agreement for 65 Tomahawk missiles, marking the first international sale. (Source: U.S. Navy Fact File)

  1995-01-01

• Raytheon acquires Hughes Aircraft, establishing Raytheon as the sole supplier of sea-launched Tomahawk missiles. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1997-01-01

• 218 Tomahawk missiles are launched by U.S. and British forces against targets in Yugoslavia during NATO operations. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1999-01-01

• Approximately 50 Tomahawk missiles strike targets in Afghanistan at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2001-10-01

• More than 802 Tomahawk missiles are fired at key targets during the invasion of Iraq. (Source: Wikipedia / CSIS Missile Threat)

  2003-03-20

• Two Tomahawk missiles strike targets in Somalia during the Dobley airstrike targeting al-Qaeda militants. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2008-03-03

• 47 Tomahawk missiles are launched from USS Arleigh Burke and USS Philippine Sea against ISIL and Khorasan group targets in Syria. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2014-09-23

• Five Tomahawk missiles launched by USS Nitze destroy Houthi-held radar sites in Yemen. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2016-10-13

• 59 Tomahawk missiles are launched from USS Ross and USS Porter targeting Shayrat Airbase in Syria. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2017-04-06

• The U.S. Navy receives its first Block V modernized Tomahawk missile from Raytheon. (Source: U.S. Navy Fact File)

  2021-03-01

Tomahawk missile

The BGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is an American long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile that is used by the United States Navy, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy and Royal Navy in ship and submarine-based land-attack operations. Developed at the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University under James H. Walker near Laurel, Maryland, the Tomahawk emerged in the 1970s as a modular cruise missile first manufactured by General Dynamics. Early tests of the missile took place between 1983 and 1993, during which time 23 cruise missiles were tested over northern Canada under the "Canada–U.S. Test and Evaluation Program". The goal of the program was to simulate the climate and terrain similar to that of the northern Soviet Union, and to allow the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) to develop an anti-cruise capability. The Tomahawk aimed to fulfill the need for a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile with diverse capabilities. Its modular design allows for compatibility with a range of warheads, including high-explosive, submunitions, and bunker busters. The Tomahawk can use a variety of guidance systems, including GPS, inertial navigation, and terrain contour matching. Over a dozen variants and upgraded versions have been developed since the original design, including air-, sub-, and ground-launched configurations with both conventional and nuclear armaments. The Tomahawk's manufacturing history has seen several transitions. General Dynamics served as the sole supplier in the 1970s. From 1992 until 1994, McDonnell Douglas was the sole supplier of Tomahawks, producing Block II and Block III versions and remanufacturing many Tomahawks to Block III specifications. In 1994, Hughes Aircraft, having purchased General Dynamics' missile division in 1992, outbid McDonnell Douglas to become the sole supplier of Tomahawks. A joint venture between Hughes and Raytheon manufactured the missile from 1995 until Raytheon's acquisition of Hughes in 1997, solidifying their position as the sole supplier. In 2016, the US Department of Defense purchased 149 Tomahawk Block IV missiles for $202.3 million. As of 2024, Raytheon remains the sole manufacturer of non-nuclear, sea-launched Tomahawk variants. Tomahawk missiles have been extensively used by the United States since the First Gulf War. Record number of Tomahawk missiles were fired during Operation Epic Fury, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Rebuilding the inventory following the war is estimated to take several years.

Web Search Results

• Tomahawk missile - Wikipedia

  On 6 April 2017, 59 Tomahawk missiles were launched from USS Ross (DDG-71) "USS Ross (DDG-71)") and USS Porter (DDG-78) "USS Porter (DDG-78)"), targeting Shayrat Airbase near Homs, in Syria. The strike was in response to Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, an act carried out by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. US Central Command stated in a press release that Tomahawk missiles hit "aircraft, hardened aircraft shelters, petroleum and logistical storage, ammunition supply bunkers, defense systems, and radars". Initial US reports claimed "approximately 20 planes" were destroyed, and that 58 out of the 59 cruise missiles launched had "severely degraded or destroyed" their intended target. [...] In early 1999, 218 Tomahawk missiles were fired by US ships and a British submarine during the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia against targets in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. October 2001: about 50 Tomahawk missiles struck targets in Afghanistan in the opening hours of Operation Enduring Freedom "War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)"). During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, more than 802 Tomahawk missiles were fired at key Iraqi targets. 3 March 2008: two Tomahawk missiles were fired at a target in Somalia by a US vessel during the Dobley airstrike, reportedly in an attempt to kill Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, an al Qaeda militant. [...] 23 September 2014: 47 Tomahawk missiles were fired by the United States from USS Arleigh Burke and USS Philippine Sea "USS Philippine Sea (CG-58)"), which were operating from international waters in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, against ISIL targets in Syria in the vicinity of Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, Al-Hasakah and Abu Kamal, and against Khorasan group "Khorasan (Islamist group)") targets in Syria west of Aleppo. 13 October 2016: five Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched by USS Nitze at three radar sites in Yemen held by Houthi rebels in response to anti-ship missiles fired at US Navy ships the day before.

• Tomahawk | Cruise Missile, History, Uses & Capabilities | Britannica

  The Tomahawk cruise missile is an American-made, low-flying, strategic guided missile that can be launched from naval ships or submarines to strike land targets. It is designed to hit fixed targets such as communication and air-defense sites in high-risk environments. During the opening salvos of an attack, military planning calls for Tomahawks to be used to suppress enemy air operations and defenses. In the Persian Gulf War, Tomahawk missiles destroyed hardened targets like surface-to-air missile sites, command-and-control centers, the Iraqi presidential palace, and electrical power plants. [...] First used in 1991 during the Persian Gulf War, Tomahawks have been used in various conflicts to destroy hardened targets and suppress enemy air operations. The Tomahawk is an American-made, long-range, low-flying strategic guided missile that can be launched from naval ships or submarines. It is designed to strike fixed land targets, such as communication and air-defense sites, in high-risk environments where manned aircraft may be vulnerable. These unmanned weapons can travel up to approximately 2,400 km at roughly 885 km per hour and have an accuracy of about 5 meters. [...] Tomahawk, American-made low-flying strategic guided missile that may be launched from naval ships or submarines to strike targets on land. It flies at low altitudes to strike fixed targets, such as communication and air-defense sites, in high-risk environments where manned aircraft may be vulnerable to surface-to-air missiles. The Tomahawk is a long-range, unmanned weapon with an accuracy of about 5 metres (16 feet). The 5.6-metre- (18.4-foot-) long missile has a range of up to approximately 2,400 km (about 1,500 miles) and can travel as fast as 885 km (550 miles) per hour.

• Tomahawk | Missile Threat

  Skip to the content Missiles of the World The United States Tomahawk # Tomahawk Last Updated April 23, 2024 PrintEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInCopy Link The Tomahawk is an intermediate-range, subsonic cruise missile that is launched from U.S. Navy ships and submarines. It provides a long-range, deep strike capability. The Tomahawk can carry either conventional or nuclear payloads, though policy decisions have phased out their nuclear role.1 # Tomahawk at a Glance Originated From : United States Possessed By : United States, United Kingdom Alternate Names : TLAM-N, TLAM-A, RGM/UGM-109A, RGM/UGM-109B, RGM/UGM-109C, RGM/UGM-109D, RGM/UGM-109E, TASM, TLAM-C, TLAM-D, TLAM-E, TLAM/C, TLAM/D, Tactical Tomahawk, BGM-109G Gryphon, Griffin [...] Despite these initial shortcomings, later variants of the missile would incorporate TERCOM, GPS, and DMAC, working in concert to improve the missile’s accuracy and mitigate the risk of clobbering. The Tomahawk was the first small, low-flying cruise missile to achieve this precision targeting while remaining undetected by enemy radar, and it proved an instrumental part of U.S. success in Iraq.21 The missile was subsequently and widely used in numerous conflicts. For example, over 800 Tomahawks were launched in the 2003 Iraq invasion, and it also achieved combat success in Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, and Syria.22 On April 6, 2018, the United States fired dozens of Tomahawk missiles in response to a Syrian military chemical attack on the rebel-held city of Khan Sheikhoun. The navy [...] ## Tomahawk Development The U.S. Navy began its development of sea-launched cruise missiles in 1972.2 The Tomahawk was designed to fly at subsonic speed while maintaining a low altitude, making it difficult to detect on radar. It uses tailored guidance systems to maneuver while at such low elevations.

• Tomahawk Cruise Missile

  Tomahawk cruise missiles are designed to fly at extremely low altitudes at high subsonic speeds, and are piloted over an evasive route by several mission tailored guidance systems. The first operational use was in Operation Desert Storm, 1991, with immense success. The missile has since been used successfully in several other conflicts. In 1995 the governments of the United States and United Kingdom signed a Foreign Military Sales Agreement for the acquisition of 65 missiles, marking the first sale of Tomahawk to a foreign country. In 2003, an agreement was approved for the United Kingdom to procure 65 Block IV Torpedo Tube Launch Tomahawks. The United Kingdom began to receive Block IV missile deliveries in January 2008 and successfully declared their In-Service-Date in March 2008. [...] RESOURCES Photo Gallery Social Media Directory App Locker Browse by Topic Podcasts Navy Chaplain Corps Fact Files RSS Feeds Frequently Asked Questions ALNAV and NAVADMIN Messages Contact Us TRANSLATE ] Naval Air Station Patuxent River Maryland 20670-1547 (240) 925-5305 Description The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is an all-weather, long range, subsonic cruise missile used for deep land attack warfare, launched from U. S. Navy surface ships and U.S. Navy and United Kingdom Royal Navy submarines. Features [...] The Navy received its first Block V configured Tomahawk missile from Raytheon in March 2021, paving the way to provide the fleet with an upgraded warfighting capability. The first Block V missiles are from the existing Tomahawk Block IV inventory, and have been recertified and modernized for fleet use. The mid-life recertification process replaces life-limited components in Block IV missiles to enable their remaining 15 years of service life, and provides the opportunity for the missiles to receive Block V modernizations. All Block IV missiles will undergo recertification and modernization.

• Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile (TLAM) - Think Defence

  Skip to content Menu Close View Categories # Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile (TLAM) 12 min read AI Doc Summarizer Doc Summary AI Doc Summarizer Thinking Thinking The Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile (TLAM) is a precision weapon that launches from ships and submarines and can precisely strike targets from 1000 miles (ca. 1,609 km) away. The Royal Navy website describes the Tomahawk as; [...] The Royal Navy website describes the Tomahawk as; > The Tomahawk IV – known in the Royal Navy as TLAM (Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile) – allows submarines to strike at ground targets hundreds of miles inland with pinpoint accuracy. The missile has been in use with the Submarine Service since the late 1990’s. Tomahawk IV is the latest version of the missile. It has a longer range than its predecessors (well in excess of 1,000 miles), can be directed at a new target in mid-flight, and can also beam back images of the battlefield to its mother submarine Although only available in relatively small numbers in UK service, it is a highly effective weapon that has been used in operations in the Balkans, Middle East and Libya. [...] > > Lord Bach, Minister for Defence Procurement, said: > > “I am delighted to confirm that we will be proceeding with the procurement of this vital capability for the Royal Navy. Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles are a key component of our inventory of precision weapons and have made a significant contribution to operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. This announcement ensures that we will stay in line with the latest US developments of the Tomahawk missile and maintain the updated capability throughout the life of the Astute class submarine.”