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BGM-109 Tomahawk

Raytheon · Cruise · USA · Cold War (1970–1991)

BGM-109 Tomahawk — Cruise
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The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) — BGM-109 in U.S. Navy and Marine Corps designation — is an American long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile designed by General Dynamics (now Raytheon Missiles & Defense) and produced from 1979 to the present. Over 8,000 missiles have been built across multiple variants, with roughly 2,500 launched in combat since 1991, making the Tomahawk the most-used long-range cruise missile in U.S. military history and the principal U.S. precision-strike weapon for fixed targets beyond the reach of shorter-range strike aircraft. Combat employment in Desert Storm (1991), the Balkans (1995, 1999), Afghanistan (2001-), Iraq (2003-), Libya (2011), Syria (2017, 2018), and ongoing operations against Houthi forces (2024-2025) has made the Tomahawk the iconic U.S. precision-strike weapon of the post-Cold War era.

The first combat firing came on 17 January 1991 during Desert Storm. The missile attacks fixed sites including command-and-control facilities, airfields, surface-to-air missile batteries, and other high-value infrastructure. A Williams International F107-WR-402 turbofan (~600 lbf thrust) drives the cruise phase at Mach 0.74 (550 mph), giving a range of roughly 1,550 miles (2,500 km). Launch platforms include Mk 41 VLS cells aboard U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke, Ticonderoga, and Zumwalt-class surface combatants and Virginia-class SSNs; horizontal launch tubes aboard older submarines; and — in late variants — U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime-patrol aircraft and U.S. Marine Corps NMESIS ground-launched anti-ship batteries.

Combat operations have made the Tomahawk the workhorse of U.S. precision strike. Major engagements include Desert Storm (1991, 282 missiles fired against Iraqi command and control, chemical-weapons, and air-defence sites), Operation Deliberate Force (1995, 13 rounds against Bosnian Serb air defences), Operation Desert Strike (1996, 31 rounds against Iraqi air defence), Operation Allied Force (1999, 218 missiles against Serbian air defence and command-and-control), Operation Enduring Freedom (2001, 50+ launches against Al-Qaeda and Taliban facilities), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003, 800+ launches against Iraqi command-and-control, air-defence, and leadership facilities), Operation Odyssey Dawn (2011, 161+ rounds against Libyan air defences), Operation Inherent Resolve (2017-, including the 2017 and 2018 Syria chemical-weapons response strikes), and the ongoing Houthi-counter-strike campaign (2024-2025, hundreds of rounds against Houthi anti-ship missile and radar sites).

Variants progressed from Block I (1983-1991, conventional warhead) through Block II (1991-1999), Block III (1993-2003), Block IV / TACTOM (1999-present, with two-way data link enabling in-flight target reassignment), and the current Block V / TacTom Block V (2017-present, with hardened anti-jam navigation and electronic-warfare resistance). The BGM-109B Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile (TASM) handled naval strike through the 1990s before retirement; its successor, the Block Va Maritime Strike Tomahawk, entered service in 2024 and represents the latest evolution of the family. Foreign operators include the United Kingdom (Royal Navy submarines), Australia (Royal Australian Navy from 2025 onwards), and other NATO partners through Tomahawk transfer programmes. Production through 2025 exceeds 8,000 missiles and continues at Raytheon Missiles & Defense's Tucson, Arizona facility.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The BGM-109 Tomahawk is an American cruise missile — a small, jet-powered, low-flying unmanned bomb. The Tomahawk is famous because Americans first saw it on TV during the 1991 Gulf War, when it flew through windows of Iraqi buildings in CNN news footage.

A Tomahawk is about 18 feet long — bigger than a typical sedan. It weighs around 3,000 pounds and can carry a 1,000-pound explosive. The Tomahawk launches from Navy ships or submarines, then flies very low (about 100 feet above the ground) to avoid enemy radar. Its small jet engine burns for hours, giving the Tomahawk a range of about 1,500 miles. That's far enough to fly from London to Moscow.

The Tomahawk uses GPS satellites and special terrain-following sensors to find its way. It flies its programmed path through valleys, around mountains, and into city streets to reach its target. The Tomahawk is famous for its accuracy — it can hit a specific window in a specific building from over 1,000 miles away.

About 9,000 Tomahawks have been built since 1983. They've been used in every major American conflict — Gulf War (1991), Bosnia (1995), Iraq (2003), Libya (2011), and many others.

The newest Tomahawks (Block V, since 2021) have improved electronics and can change targets mid-flight. Tomahawks aren't just for the U.S. Navy — the British, Japanese, Australian, and Dutch navies all use them too.

Fun Facts

  • About 9,000 Tomahawks have been built since 1983.
  • Each Tomahawk costs about $1.5 million — about 1/30th the price of a fighter jet.
  • The Tomahawk flies as low as 100 feet above the ground — too low for most radar to catch.
  • Tomahawks have a range of about 1,500 miles — far enough to fly from London to Moscow.
  • U.S. Navy ships and submarines can carry up to 154 Tomahawks each.
  • The British, Japanese, Australian, and Dutch navies all also use Tomahawks.
  • Newer Tomahawks (Block V) can change their target mid-flight via radio update from controllers.

Kids’ Questions

How does a Tomahawk find its target?

The Tomahawk uses three systems together. First, GPS tells the missile where it is on the planet, using signals from satellites in space. Second, INS (Inertial Navigation System) uses sensors to track exactly how the missile is moving, even when GPS isn't working. Third, TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) uses a radar altimeter to measure the height of the ground below and compare it to a pre-stored map of the route — if the measured ground doesn't match the map, the missile knows it's off course and corrects. Together, these systems guide the Tomahawk to within a few feet of its target from 1,000+ miles away.

Why fly so low?

Radar systems send out radio waves and listen for echoes bouncing back from objects in the sky. The waves travel in straight lines, so radar can't easily see things behind hills, mountains, or buildings. By flying very low (100 feet above the ground), the Tomahawk hides behind the terrain — most radars can't see it because the ground blocks the line of sight. The missile follows the shape of the ground, going up over hills and down into valleys. Modern fighter jets sometimes also fly low to hide from radar, but they need pilots to react quickly — the Tomahawk's computer does it automatically.

Variants

Block I / II / III (legacy)
Original variants. Block I (1983-1991): initial production. Block II (1991-1999): improved DSMAC navigation. Block III (1993-2003): GPS integration and jam-resistant navigation. Roughly 4,000 Block I-III combined; mostly retired or expended in operations.
Block IV / TACTOM
Major upgrade (1999-present). Two-way satellite data link for in-flight target reassignment, increased range, updated flight controls, and larger warhead options. ~3,500 built. Backbone of the U.S. Tomahawk fleet from 2003 to 2020.
Block V / TacTom Block V (current)
Current production variant (2017-present). Hardened anti-jam navigation, electronic-warfare resistance, updated seeker, and longer range (~1,500+ miles). The standard U.S. Navy and Marine Corps round. Production continues at Raytheon's Tucson, Arizona facility.
Block Va Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST)
New 2024 anti-ship variant. Multi-mode seeker (radar, thermal, electro-optical) with terminal-phase target identification for moving naval targets. Replaces the older BGM-109B TASM (Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile, retired 1990s). Service entry late 2024 / early 2025.
Tomahawk Block IIIA / Block IV-N (nuclear, retired)
Nuclear-warhead variants. Block IIIA carried the W80-0 thermonuclear warhead and was retired 1991-1992 under START treaty obligations. Block IV-N was planned but never produced.

Notable Operators

U.S. Navy / U.S. Marine Corps
Primary operator. Tomahawk is launched from Arleigh Burke, Ticonderoga, Zumwalt, Virginia-class (SSN), Ohio-class (SSGN), and other platforms. ~2,500 launches conducted in combat since 1991. Inventory: 4,000+ Block IV / V missiles in frontline service. Production continues at Raytheon Tucson for U.S. and allied operators.
U.S. Marine Corps NMESIS / U.S. Army
NMESIS (Naval / Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System): Marine Corps ground-launched anti-ship Tomahawk system entering service in 2025. U.S. Army Multi-Domain Task Force / Typhon (Mid-Range Fires) programme: ground-launched conventional Tomahawk for Indo-Pacific operations entering service 2024-2025.
Royal Navy (UK)
The Royal Navy fires Tomahawk Block IV from its Astute, Trafalgar, and Vanguard-class submarines. Combat use includes Operation Ellamy / Unified Protector (Libya, 2011), Operation Shader (Iraq / Syria, 2014-), and other UK strike missions. Around 64 Tomahawks have been acquired by the RN, mostly Block IV.
Other operators
Australia ordered ~200 Tomahawk Block V from 2024 for Royal Australian Navy submarine and surface-ship deployment from 2025. Japan ordered ~400 Tomahawk Block V in December 2023 for ground- and ship-launched applications. The Netherlands, Norway, and other NATO partners have acquired or are evaluating Tomahawk procurement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Tomahawk used for?

Long-range precision strike against fixed land or naval targets. Typical Tomahawk aim points include command-and-control and leadership facilities, airfields (runways, aircraft shelters, fuel storage), surface-to-air missile sites (radar, launchers, fire-control), naval port facilities, supply and logistics infrastructure, chemical / biological / nuclear weapons sites, and other high-value fixed objectives. The Tomahawk is generally not used against time-sensitive moving targets — those are engaged with strike aircraft, Hellfire, or smaller weapons — but the new Block Va Maritime Strike variant lets the missile hit moving warships.

How accurate is the Tomahawk?

Roughly 5-10 m CEP (circular error probable) under typical conditions. The Tomahawk uses a layered navigation system: GPS for primary navigation, TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) for over-land navigation that compares radar altitude profile against pre-loaded digital terrain models, DSMAC (Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation) for terminal-phase navigation that compares optical-camera images against pre-loaded reference imagery, and a two-way data link (Block IV onwards) for in-flight target reassignment. The combination delivers precision exceeding most laser-guided weapons across a 1,500-mile range — comparable accuracy to a 500-lb GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb but at 30+ times the range.

How much does a Tomahawk cost?

Roughly $1.4M USD per missile (2024 unit cost). Block V costs around $1.6M USD. Per-missile cost has climbed steadily from ~$1.0M in the early 2000s as production rates fell and individual missile features grew. Total cost of a typical combat launch sequence (missile, ship-time, targeting and planning support) runs $2-3M USD. Despite the price tag, the Tomahawk's combination of long range, all-weather operation, and high-precision targeting makes it cost-effective for the high-value sites it engages.

How is a Tomahawk launched?

From multiple launch platforms. Surface ships: Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS) cells on Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) destroyers, Ticonderoga-class (CG-47) cruisers, and Zumwalt-class (DDG-1000) destroyers — each VLS cell holds one Tomahawk. Submarines: vertical launch tubes on Virginia-class (SSN-774) and modified Ohio-class (SSGN) boats, or torpedo-tube-launched configurations on older Trafalgar and Astute (UK) classes. Aircraft and ground: U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon (planned, with Block Va MST), USMC NMESIS (ground-launched anti-ship), and U.S. Army MRC / Typhon system (ground-launched). Total Tomahawk launchers in the U.S. fleet exceed 3,000 VLS cells.

Has the Tomahawk been used against Russia?

Not directly. Despite analytical scenarios involving Tomahawk strikes on Russian forces, no Tomahawk has been fired in combat against Russian targets. The U.S. has expressed willingness to provide Tomahawk to Ukraine (December 2024 statements by the then-Secretary of State); deployment in Ukrainian operations has not occurred to date. The Tomahawk's combat record runs against Iraqi, Bosnian Serb, Yugoslav, Afghan, Libyan, Syrian, Houthi, and similar adversaries — not against major-power Russian or Chinese forces.

How does the Tomahawk compare to the Storm Shadow?

Different design philosophies. MBDA Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG is a UK / France air-launched cruise missile with a 250 kg high-explosive warhead (a hardened-target penetration variant exists) and a 250-mile range. BGM-109 Tomahawk is a U.S. ship- and submarine-launched cruise missile with a 450 kg conventional warhead and 1,500-mile range. Tomahawk offers longer range, larger warhead, and a sea-based firing platform; Storm Shadow trades range for hardened-target penetration and aircraft delivery (typically from Tornado or Eurofighter Typhoon). Both serve precision-strike roles, just at different ranges and from different platforms. Ukrainian operators have used both Tomahawk-equivalent (limited) and Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG (extensive) in the 2022-2025 Russo-Ukrainian War.

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