Tomahawk (Missile)
Tomahawk (Missile)
Tomahawk (Missile)
AGM-109H/L Medium Range Air to Surface Missile (MRASM) a shorter range, turbojet powered
ASM with cluster munitions ; never entered service,
cost US$569,000 (1999).[5]
Ground-launched cruise missiles (GLCM) and their
truck-like launch vehicles were employed at bases in
Europe; they were withdrawn from service to comply with the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces
Treaty. Many of the anti-ship versions were converted
into TLAMs at the end of the Cold War. The Block
III TLAMs that entered service in 1993 can y farther
and use Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to
strike more precisely. Block III TLAM-Cs retain the
DSMAC II navigation system, allowing GPS only missions, which allow for rapid mission planning, with some
reduced accuracy, DSMAC only missions, which take
longer to plan but terminal accuracy is somewhat better, and GPS aided missions which combine both DSMAC II and GPS navigation which provides the greatest
accuracy. Block IV TLAMs are completely redesigned
with an improved turbofan engine. The F107-402 engine provided the new BLK III with a throttle control,
allowing in-ight speed changes. This engine also provided better fuel economy. The Block IV TLAMs have
enhanced deep-strike capabilities and are equipped with
a real-time targeting system for striking eeting targets.
Additionally, the BLOCK IV missiles have the capabilities to be re-targeted inight, and the ability to transmit,
via satcom, an image immediately prior to impact to assist in determining if the missile was attacking the target
and the likely damage from the attack.
Description
Variants
There have been several variants of the BGM-109 Tomahawk employing various types of warheads.
BGM-109A Tomahawk Land Attack Missile
Nuclear (TLAM-A) with a W80 thermonuclear
weapon. Retired from service sometime between
2010 and 2013.[2]
RGM/UGM-109B Tomahawk Anti Ship Missile
(TASM) active radar homing anti-ship missile
variant; withdrawn from service in the 1990s.
3 Upgrades
A major improvement to the Tomahawk is network BGM-109C Tomahawk Land Attack Missile Con- centric warfare-capabilities, using data from multiple senventional (TLAM-C) with a unitary warhead. This sors (aircraft, UAVs, satellites, foot soldiers, tanks, ships)
to nd its target. It will also be able to send data from its
was initially a modied Bullpup warhead.
sensors to these platforms. It will be a part of the net BGM-109D Tomahawk Land Attack Missile Dis- worked force being implemented by the Pentagon.
penser (TLAM-D) with cluster munitions.
The Tactical Tomahawk takes advantage of a loitering
RGM/UGM-109E Tomahawk Land Attack Mis- feature in the missiles ight path and allows commanders
sile (TLAM Block IV) improved version of the to redirect the missile to an alternative target, if required.
TLAM-C.
It can be reprogrammed in-ight to attack predesignated
1
LAUNCH SYSTEMS
4 Launch systems
In 2012, the USN studied applying Advanced Anti- For submarine-launched missiles (called UGM-109s), afRadiation Guided Missile (AARGM) technology into the ter being ejected by gas pressure (vertically via the VLS)
Tactical Tomahawk.[6]
or by water impulse (horizontally via the torpedo tube),
In February 2014, the U.S. Navy began working on a the missile exits the water and a solid-fuel booster is igbunker-busting warhead for the Tomahawk. Called the nited for the rst few seconds of airborne ight until tranJoint Multi-Eects Warhead System (JMEWS), it would sition to cruise.
weigh 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) and be compatible with exist- After achieving ight, the missiles wings are unfolded
ing Block IV missiles.[7]
for lift, the airscoop is exposed and the turbofan engine
In 2014, Raytheon began testing Block IV improvements is employed for cruise ight. Over water, the Tomahawk
to attack sea and moving land targets.[8] The new passive uses inertial guidance or GPS to follow a preset course;
radar seeker will passively pick up the electromagnetic once over land, the missiles guidance system is aided by
radar signature of a target and follow it, and actively send Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM). Terminal guidout a signal to bounce o potential targets before impact ance is provided by the Digital Scene Matching Area Corto discriminate its legitimacy before impact.[7] Mounting relation (DSMAC) system or GPS, producing a claimed
the multi-mode sensor on the missiles nose would re- Circular error probable of about 10 meters.
move fuel space, but company ocials believe the Navy
would be willing to give up space for the sensors new
technologies.[9] The new seeker could make the Tomahawk a candidate for the U.S. Navys Oensive AntiSurface Warfare (OASuW) Increment II requirement.
The previous Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile, retired over
a decade ago, was equipped with inertial guidance and
the seeker of the Harpoon (missile) and there was concern with its ability to clearly discriminate between targets from a long distance, which would be more reliable with the new seekers passive detection and active
millimeter-wave radar;[10] the Tomahawk would likely
compete against a version of the Lockheed Martin Long
Range Anti-Ship Missile for ship-launched needs.[11]
Raytheon is planning to oer to perform the upgrades as
the older Block IVs are brought back to the factory for
recertication around 2018.[12]
A supersonic version of the Tomahawk is under consideration for development with a ramjet to increase its speed
to Mach 3. A limiting factor to this is the dimensions of
6.1
Tomahawk operators
The TLAM-D contains 166 sub-munitions in 24 canisters; 22 canisters of seven each, and two canisters of six
each to conform to the dimensions of the airframe. The
sub-munitions are the same type of Combined Eects
Munition bomblet used in large quantities by the U.S.
Air Force with the CBU-87 Combined Eects Munition.
The sub-munitions canisters are dispensed two at a time,
one per side. The missile can perform up to ve separate
target segments which enables it to attack multiple targets. However, in order to achieve a sucient density of
coverage typically all 24 canisters are dispensed sequentially from back to front.
TERCOM Terrain Contour Matching. A digital representation of an area of terrain is mapped based on digital
terrain elevation data or stereo imagery. This map is then
inserted into a TLAM mission which is then loaded on
to the missile. When the missile is in ight it compares
the stored map data with radar altimeter data collected
as the missile overies the map. Based on comparison
results the missiles inertial navigation system is updated
and the missile corrects its course. TERCOM was based
on, and was a signicant improvement on, Fingerprint,
a technology developed in 1964 for the SLAM.[14]
On July 26, 2014 it was announced that 196 additional Remnants of a shot down Tomahawk from Operation Allied
Force, showing the turbofan engine at the Museum of Aviation
Block IV missiles had been purchased.[15]
DSMAC Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation. A
digitized image of an area is mapped and then inserted
into a TLAM mission. During the ight the missile will
verify that the images that it has stored correlates with the
image it sees below itself. Based on comparison results
the missiles inertial navigation system is updated and the
missile corrects its course.
Total program cost: $US 11,210,000,000[16]
Operators
6.1
in Belgrade, Serbia.
OPERATORS
eas in Afghanistan and Sudan in retaliation to the missiles were acquired and test-red in November 1998;
bombings of American embassies by Al-Qaeda.
all Royal Navy eet submarines are now Tomahawk capable, including the new Astute-class.[29][30][31][32] The
On 16 December 1998, Tomahawk missiles were Kosovo War in 1999 saw the Swiftsure-class HMS Splenred at key Iraqi targets in during Operation Desert did become the rst British submarine to re the TomaFox.
hawk in combat. It has been reported that seventeen of
In spring 1999, 218 Tomahawk missiles were the twenty Tomahawks red by the British during that
red by US ships and a British submarine during conict hit their targets accurately; the UK subsequently
[33]
The
Operation Allied Force against key targets in Serbia bought 20 more Block III to replenish stocks.
Royal
Navy
has
since
red
Tomahawks
during
the
2000s
and Montenegro.
Afghanistan War, in Operation Telic as the British conIn October 2001, approximately 50 Tomahawk mis- tribution to the 2003 Iraq War, and during Operation Elsiles struck targets in Afghanistan in the opening lamy in Libya in 2011.
hours of Operation Enduring Freedom.
In April 2004, the UK and US governments reached an
During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, more than 802 agreement for the British to buy 64 of the new genertomahawk missiles were red at key Iraqi targets.[18] ation of Tomahawk missilethe Block IV or TacTom
missile.[34] It entered service with the Royal Navy on 27
On 17 December 2009, two Tomahawk missiles March 2008, three months ahead of schedule.[35] In July
were red at targets in Yemen.[19] One of the tar- 2014 the US approved the sale to the UK of a further 65
gets was hit by a TLAM-D missile. The target was submarine-launched Block IVs at a cost of US$140m indescribed as an 'alleged Al-Qaeda training camp' cluding spares and support;[36] as of 2011 the Block III
in al-Majalah in al-Mahfad a region of the Abyan missiles were on Britains books at 1.1m and the Block
governorate of Yemen. Amnesty International re- IV at 0.87m including VAT.[37]
ported that 55 people were killed in the attack, including 41 civilians (21 children, 14 women, and six The Sylver Vertical Launching System on the new Type
men). The US and Yemen governments refused to 45 destroyer is claimed by its manufacturers to have
conrm or deny involvement, but diplomatic cables the capability to re the Tomahawk, although the A50
released as part of United States diplomatic cables launcher carried by Type 45 is too short for the weapon
leak later conrmed the missile was red by a US (the longer A70 silo would be required). Nevertheless,
Type 45 has been designed with weight and space marNavy ship.[20]
gin for a strike-length Mk41 or Sylver A70 silo to be
On 19 March 2011, 124 Tomahawk missiles[21] retrotted, allowing Type 45 to use TLAM Block IV if
were red by U.S. and British forces (112 US, 12 required, and the new Type 26 frigates will have strikeBritish)[22] against at least 20 Libyan targets around length VLS tubes. SYLVER user France is developing
Tripoli and Misrata.[23] As of 22 March 2011, 159 MdCN, a version of the Storm Shadow/Scalp cruise misUGM-109 were red by US and UK ships against sile that has a shorter range but a higher speed than Tomahawk and can be launched from the SYLVER system.
Libyan targets.[24]
Other users
Tomahawk production for the United States Navy The Netherlands (2005) and Spain (2002 and 2005)
is scheduled to end in Fiscal Year 2015,[27] with a were interested in acquiring the Tomahawk system,
replacement entering service a decade later.[28]
but the orders were later cancelled in 2007 and 2009
respectively.[38][39]
6.2
Royal Navy
5
view.[40]
It is believed that the SLCM version of the Popeye was
developed by Israel after the US Clinton administration
refused an Israeli request in 2000 to purchase Tomahawk SLCMs because of international MTCR proliferation rules.[41]
As of March 12, 2015 Poland has expressed interest in
purchasing long-range Tomahawk missiles for its future
submarines.[42]
Replacement
9 References
[1] United States Department Of Defense Fiscal Year 2015
Budget Request Program Acquisition Cost By Weapon
System (PDF). Oce Of The Under Secretary Of Defense (Comptroller)/ Chief Financial Ocer. March
2014. p. 65.
See also
List of missiles
RK-55
3M-54 Klub
Raduga Kh-55
Nirbhay
AGM-129 ACM
Hyunmoo-3
DH-10
10
EXTERNAL LINKS
[19] Cruise Missiles Strike Yemen - ABC News. Abcnews.go.com (2009-12-18). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
[42]
10 External links
Raytheon Ocial site for the Tomahawk missile
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11.1
11.2
Images
11.3
Content license