DOD Conducts Ground-launched Cruise Missile Test: The Tomahawk, and Cruisers
DOD Conducts Ground-launched Cruise Missile Test
DOD Conducts Ground-launched Cruise Missile Test
On Aug. 18, at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, the Defense Department conducted a flight test of a conventionally configured ground-launched cruise missile at San Nicolas Island, Calif. The test missile exited its ground mobile launcher and accurately impacted its target after more than 500 kilometers of flight. Data collected and lessons learned from this test will inform DOD’s development of future intermediate-range capabilities.
DOD Video
| TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILE |
| Description The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is an all-weather, long range, subsonic cruise missile used for deep land attack warfare, launched from U. S. Navy surface ships and U.S. Navy and United Kingdom Royal Navy submarines. |
| Features The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is a long range, subsonic cruise missile used for deep land attack warfare, launched from U. S. Navy surface ships and U.S. Navy and United Kingdom Royal Navy submarines. The Tomahawk Block III Conventional variant (TLAM-C) contains a 1,000-lb class blast/fragmentary unitary warhead while the Submunition variant (TLAM-D) includes a submunitions dispenser with combined effect bomblets. The Tomahawk Block IV (Tactical Tomahawk, TLAM-E), conventional variant, which entered the Fleet in 2004, adds the capability to reprogram the missile while in-flight via two-way satellite communications to strike any of 15 pre-programmed alternate targets or redirect the missile to any Global Positioning System (GPS) target coordinates. The Block IV missile is capable of loitering over a target area in order to respond to emerging targets or, with its on-board camera, provide battle damage information to warfighting commanders. Tomahawk Block IV is currently in Full Rate Production (FRP). Block IV’s will require mid-life recertification beginning in fiscal year 2019, increasing the capabilities and extending service life. During recertification, upgrades to navigation and communication systems will be completed. Plans for a maritime strike capability are in development, this enhancement would be executed concurrently with recertification. |
| Background Tomahawk cruise missiles are designed to fly at extremely low altitudes at high subsonic speeds, and are piloted over an evasive route by several mission tailored guidance systems. The first operational use was in Operation Desert Storm, 1991, with immense success. The missile has since been used successfully in several other conflicts. In 1995 the governments of the United States and United Kingdom signed a Foreign Military Sales Agreement for the acquisition of 65 missiles, marking the first sale of Tomahawk to a foreign country. In 2003, an agreement was approved for the United Kingdom to procure 65 Block IV Torpedo Tube Launch Tomahawks. The United Kingdom began to receive Block IV missile deliveries in January 2008 and successfully declared their In-Service-Date in March 2008. |
| General Characteristics |
| Primary Function: Long-range subsonic cruise missile for striking high value or heavily defended land targets. |
| Contractor: Raytheon Missile Systems Company, Tucson, AZ. |
| Date Deployed: Block II TLAM-A IOC – 1984 Block III – IOC 1994 Block IV – IOC 2004. |
| Propulsion: Block II/III TLAM-A, C & D – Williams International F107 cruise turbo-fan engine; ARC/CSD solid-fuel booster |
| Length: 20.3 feet; with booster: 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 meters). |
| Diameter: 21 inches |
| Wingspan: 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 meters). |
| Weight: 3,330 pounds with rocket motor. |
| Speed: Subsonic – about 550 mph (880 km/h). |
| Range: Block III TLAM-C – 900 nautical miles (1000 statute miles, 1600 km) Block III TLAM-D – 700 nautical miles (800 statute miles, 1250 km Block IV TLAM-E – 900 nautical miles (1000 statute miles, 1600 km) |
| Guidance System: Block II TLAM-A – INS, TERCOM Block III TLAM-C, D Block IV TLAM-E – INS, TERCOM, DSMAC, and GPS. |
| Warhead: Block II TLAM-N – W80 nuclear warhead Block III TLAM-C and Block IV TLAM-E – 1,000 pound class unitary warhead Block III TLAM-D – conventional submunitions dispenser with combined effect bomblets. |
| CRUISERS – CG Description Large multi-mission surface combatant.Modern U.S. Navy guided-missile cruisers perform primarily in a Battle Force role. These ships are multi-mission Air Warfare (AW), Undersea Warfare (USW), Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) and Surface Warfare (SUW) surface combatants capable of supporting carrier battle groups, amphibious forces or operating independently and as flagships of surface action groups. Cruisers are equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles giving them additional long range strike warfare capability. Some Aegis Cruisers have been outfitted with a Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability. Background Technological advances in the Standard Missile coupled with the Aegis combat system in the Ticonderoga class cruisers have increased the Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) capability of surface combatants to pinpoint accuracy from wave-top to zenith. Under the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress directed modernization in accordance with the “2-4-6” plan, which allowed the Navy to modernize two Cruisers a year, remain under modernization for no more than four years and allow no more than 6 ships to undergo modernization at any one time. The lead ship of the class, USS Ticonderoga (CG-47) through USS Thomas S. Gates (CG51) have been decommissioned. Over the next several years, many Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruisers will undergo a structured modernization to ensure they reach their projected 35-year service life. The Cruiser Modernization program aims to improve the CG 47 Ticonderoga class by modernizing the computing and display infrastructure and the Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) systems. Weapons and sensor sets will also be improved, in order to upgrade their anti-submarine capabilities, add short range electro-optical systems that can monitor the ship’s surroundings without the use of radar emissions, as well as routine machinery upgrades to improve all areas of ship functionality. USS Cowpens (CG-63) and USS Gettysburg (CG- 64) began modernization in fiscal year 2015. USS Vicksburg (CG- 69) and USS Chosin (CG- 65) began modernization in fiscal year 2016. USS Anzio (CG-68) and USS Cape St. George (CG- 71) begins modernization in fiscal year 2017. Point Of Contact Office of Corporate Communication Naval Sea Systems Command (SEA 00D) Washington, D.C. 20376 General Characteristics, Ticonderoga Class Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding: CG 47-50, CG 52-57, 59, 62, 65-66, 68-69, 71-73; Bath Iron Works: CG 51, 58, 60-61, 63-64, 67, 70. Date Deployed: January 22, 1983 (USS Ticonderoga) Unit Cost: About $1 billion each.Propulsion: 4 General Electric LM 2,500 gas turbine engines; 2 shafts, 80,000 shaft horsepower total.Length: 567 feet.Beam: 55 feet.Displacement: 9,600 long tons (9,754.06 metric tons) full load.Speed: 30 plus knots.Crew: 30 Officers, 300 Enlisted.Armament: MK41 vertical launching system Standard Missile (MR); Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA) Missile; Tomahawk Cruise Missile; Six MK 46 torpedoes (from two triple mounts); Two MK 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight guns; Two Phalanx close-in-weapons systems. Aircraft: Two SH-60 Sea Hawk (LAMPS III).Ships:USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), San Diego, CAUSS Mobile Bay (CG 53), San Diego, CAUSS Antietam (CG 54), Yokosuka, JapanUSS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), Norfolk, VAUSS San Jacinto (CG 56), Norfolk, VAUSS Lake Champlain (CG 57), San Diego, CAUSS Philippine Sea (CG 58), Mayport, FLUSS Princeton (CG 59), San Diego, CAUSS Normandy (CG 60), Norfolk, VAUSS Monterey (CG 61), Norfolk, VAUSS Chancellorsville (CG 62), Yokosuka, JapanUSS Cowpens (CG 63), San Diego, CAUSS Gettysburg (CG 64), Norfolk, VA (TEMP)USS Chosin (CG 65), San Diego, CAUSS Hue City (CG 66), Mayport, FLUSS Shiloh (CG 67), Yokosuka, JapanUSS Anzio (CG 68), Norfolk, VAUSS Vicksburg (CG 69), Norfolk, VA (TEMP)USS Lake Erie (CG 70), San Diego, CAUSS Cape St. George (CG 71), San Diego, CAUSS Vella Gulf (CG 72), Norfolk, VAUSS Port Royal (CG 73), Pearl Harbor, HI Last Update: 9 January 2017 | Printer Friendly View of Fact Sheet |