Raytheon has announced a seven-year, $22.9 billion contract to accelerate production of Tomahawk cruise missiles for the U.S. Navy…
Awarded under the “Arsenal of Freedom” program, the contract aims to increase annual Tomahawk production to more than 1,000 units.
The Tomahawk is a turbojet-powered, low-altitude cruise missile measuring approximately 5.6 meters in length with a 0.52-meter diameter and a range of about 1,600 kilometers.
The Tomahawk is launched from U.S. Navy surface ships and submarines and is used for long-range precision strike missions.
The missile is available in several variants, primarily the Block IV and Block V, with the latter family including Block Va and Block Vb configurations.
Depending on the mission profile, the Tomahawk utilizes inertial navigation, GPS, and terrain-matching navigation. It employs advanced guidance and sensor systems for target detection and engagement during the terminal phase.
Conventional variants carry a warhead in the 450-kilogram class. Designed with a low radar cross-section and the ability to fly at low altitudes, the missile is built to be difficult for air defense systems to detect and intercept…