Tomahawk missile

The Tomahawk is a long-range cruise missile that can be used against surface ships or land targets, employing several different types of warheads.

The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is launched on a preset course above the water and, as it crosses over land, switches to an inertial and Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) system to guide the missile to its target with an accuracy measured in feet. TLAM warheads consist of conventional high explosives (TLAM-C) or scattering bomblets (TLAM-D). The Block III TLAMs now in production have an extended range and incorporate a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for improved reliability and time-of-arrival control to permit coordinated strikes between other missiles and aircraft.

The missile entered service in submarines in 1983. Tomahawk missiles are launched from standard 21-inch torpedo tubes and, in the later Los Angeles class submarines, from 12 vertical launch tubes as well.

In the 1991 Persian Gulf conflict 288 Tomahawks were launched at tactical targets. Twelve of the Tomahawks were launched by two attack submarines.

The Tomahawk is an all-weather, subsonic missile which, when launched from a submarine, rises to the surface and deploys small wings and starts a small turbofan engine which propels it toward the target. The small size of the Tomahawk gives it a low radar cross section and its low-level flight profile makes it difficult to intercept.