Tomahawk (missile family)

Tomahawk
A BGM-109 Tomahawk flying in November 2002
Type	Cruise missile Anti-ship missile[1] (Block V & TASM variants) Submarine-launched cruise missile Land-attack missile Surface-to-surface missile[2]
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1983–present
Used by	See Operators
Production history
Manufacturer	General Dynamics (initially) McDonnell Douglas Hughes Aircraft Corporation Raytheon Missiles & Defense
Unit cost	$1.87 million (FY2017)[3] (Block IV) $2 million (FY2022)[4] (Block V) Export cost: $4 million (FY2023)[5]
Specifications
Mass	2,900 lb (1,300 kg), 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) with booster
Length	18 ft 3 in (5.56 m) without booster; 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m) with booster
Diameter	20.4 in (0.52 m)
Wingspan	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Warhead	Nuclear: W80 warhead (yield 5 to 200 kilotonnes of TNT (21 to 837 TJ)) (retired)[6][7] Conventional: 1,000 pounds (450 kg) high explosive or submunition dispenser with BLU-97/B Combined Effects Bomb or PBXN
Detonation mechanism	FMU-148 since TLAM Block III, others for special applications
Engine	Williams International F107-WR-402 turbofan using TH-dimer fuel and a solid-fuel rocket booster
Operational range	Block II TLAM-N – 1,350 nmi (1,550 mi; 2,500 km) Block III TLAM-C, Block IV TLAM-E – 900 nmi (1,000 mi; 1,700 km) Block III TLAM-D – 700 nmi (810 mi; 1,300 km)[8] Block IV – 864nmi, 1000+ miles, 1600+ km Block Vb – 900+nmi, 1035+ miles, 1666+ km (exact range is classified)[9] RGM/UGM-109B TASM – 250 miles, 460 km[10]
Flight altitude	98–164 ft (30–50 m) AGL[11]
Maximum speed	Subsonic; ~Mach 0.74. about 570 mph (500 kn; 920 km/h)
Guidance system	GPS, INS, TERCOM, DSMAC, active radar homing (RGM/UGM-109B)
Launch platform	Mark 41 Vertical Launching System Torpedo tubes Surface ships Submarines TELs

The BGM-109 Tomahawk (/ˈtɒməhɔːk/) Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is an American long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile that is primarily used by the United States 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. 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.^[12] In 1994, Hughes Aircraft, having purchased General Dynamics' missile division in 1992, outbid McDonnell Douglas to become the sole supplier of Tomahawks.^[13][14] 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.^[15][16] In 2016, the US Department of Defense purchased 149 Tomahawk Block IV missiles for $202.3 million.^[3] As of 2024^[update], Raytheon remains the sole manufacturer of non-nuclear, sea-launched Tomahawk variants.^[17]