$3 million for one Tomahawk Cruise Missile, 2017 price, Source, Jane’s
US-UK “Special relationship”: “US signed a foreign military sales agreement with the UK in 1995.” US and “ally” UK can both pulverize weaker countries with Raytheon’s Tomahawk missiles, many of which weigh 2900+ pounds, 1.45 tons [1,315kg] and a life span of 30 years:
“Tomahawk Long-Range Cruise Missile,” naval-technology.com
“Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile in service with the surface ships and submarines of the US and the UK’s Royal Navy. Originally produced by General Dynamics, Tomahawk is currently manufactured by Raytheon.
The Tomahawk can strike high-value or heavily defended land targets. The Block II TLAM-A missile achieved initial operating capability in 1984. The missile was first deployed in combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
The US signed a foreign military sales (FMS) agreement with the UK in 1995 to supply 65 Tomahawks for use with the Royal Navy nuclear submarines. The first batch of missiles was delivered in 1998.
The US Government approved an agreement in 2003 to deliver 65 Tomahawk Block IV missiles for the UK. In August 2004, the US Navy placed a $1.6bn multi-year procurement contract with Raytheon for 2,200 Tomahawk Block IV missiles.
Raytheon was awarded a $346m production contract for 473 Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles in March 2006. The contract includes 65 submarine torpedo tube-launched missiles for the [UK] Royal Navy. The Block IV entered service with the Royal Navy in March 2008.
Raytheon was awarded a $207m-worth firm-fixed-price contract in March 2009 for 207 Tomahawk Block IV All-Up-Round (AUR) missiles.
The 2,000th Tomahawk Block IV missile was delivered to the US Navy in February 2010.
The US Navy placed a $338m contract with Raytheon in June 2012 for the delivery of 361 Tomahawk Block IV tactical cruise missiles. Another contract worth $254.6m was awarded for Tomahawk Block IV in the same year.
Raytheon delivered the 3,000th Tomahawk Block IV to the US Navy in January 2014 as part of the ninth Block IV production contract.
The US Navy awarded a $251m contract to Raytheon for the production and delivery of Tomahawk Block IV missiles for both the US Navy and Royal Navy in September 2014.
A $25.9m contract for Tomahawk missile composite capsule launching systems (C/CLS) was awarded in December 2014. The C/CLS is integrated with the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines and nuclear-powered guided-missile submarines, allowing the missile to be launched from submarines.
Tomahawk Block IV missile demonstrated its moving target capability in tests conducted in February 2015.
Raytheon received a $122m contract from the US Navy in March 2015 for the production of 114 Tomahawk Block IV all-up round missiles. Raytheon conducted an active seeker test flight for the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile in January 2016.
The 4,000th Tomahawk Block IV missile was delivered to the US Navy in August 2017….
The Tomahawk is designed to operate at very low altitudes while maintaining high-subsonic speeds….
The missile carries a nuclear or conventional payload. It can be armed with a nuclear or unitary warhead or a conventional submunitions dispenser with combined-effect bomblets. The missile has a 5.56m length, 51.8cm diameter and a 2.67m wingspan. The weight of the missile is 1,315kg. It has a life span of 30 years….[1,315 kg=2900 pounds, 1.45 tons]
The Tomahawk Block IV uses GPS navigation and a satellite data-link to continue through a pre-set course. The missile can be reprogrammed in-flight to a new target.
The two-way satellite communications are utilised to perform post-launch mission changes throughout the flight. The on-board camera provides imagery of the target to the commanders before the strike….Its joint multi-effects warhead allows the commander to control the blast….
The missile can be launched from over 140 US Navy ships and submarines as well as Astute and Trafalgar class submarines of the [UK] Royal Navy. All cruisers, destroyers, guided missile and attack submarines in the US Navy are equipped with a Tomahawk weapons system.”…
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Added: US Naval Institute, 1/22/2020: “After the Tomahawks used by the U.S. military are upgraded, it is possible the United Kingdom, the only other nation with Tomahawk cruise missiles would begin modernizing its arsenals, Red said. U.S. law covering foreign military sales says systems and weapons must be fielded first in the United States. “We’re still working through that” in Washington and London, Red said….The [Trump] administration requested $320 million for research and development in the Fiscal Year 2020 year budget to move ahead on these upgrades to Tomahawk...highlighted in the administration’s new Offensive Missile Strategy.”…"Japan doesn’t buy offensive weapons,” per commenter
1/22/2020, “Entire Navy Tomahawk Missile Arsenal Will Upgrade To Block V,” usni.org, John Grady, Arlington, Va., US Naval Institute
“The Navy’s arsenal of Tomahawk cruise missiles will all become a Block V configuration, with older models to be retired and demilitarized, according to the program manager.
“All Block IVs will be converted” and become Block V Tomahawks, said Capt. John Red, speaking to reporters during the 2020 Surface Navy Association Symposium last week.
The upgraded Tomahawks will have a more extended range and modernized data-link radio and navigation systems. The upgrades are being done at Raytheon’s Tucson, Ariz., facility.
The existing Tomahawk Block III missiles will be retired and demilitarized.
The first five Tomahawk Block IVs being modernized will come out as test missiles with four heading back to the fleet “to demonstrate their capabilities” when used in an expected contested environment in the future, Red said.
When the Block IV cruise missiles were first manufactured, the expectation was they would have a 30-year life. Red added, “they were designed in 1999, the late 90s with early 2000s technology. That meant “the future is now” for their modernization.
“We’re still producing Block IVs,” which reached initial operating capability in 2004, said Chris Daly, director of program management at Raytheon.
Red said 90 missiles will go through the recertification process per cycle. There will be three variants in Block V, but “the determination of the split” between the versions has yet to be determined, Red said.
“The Block Va variants will be called Maritime Strike” with a new seeker capable of hitting a moving target. Red would not detail the seeker’s capability beyond saying it operated in various modes and has “the ability to discriminate targets” and can be updated in flight.
Block Vb will feature the Joint Multi-Effects Warhead System. The new warhead was first announced in 2010 and tested in 2014.
The [Trump] administration requested $320 million for research and development in the Fiscal Year 2020 year budget to move ahead on these upgrades to Tomahawk. The Tomahawk Va and Vb variants were highlighted in the administration’s new Offensive Missile Strategy.
After the Tomahawks used by the U.S. military are upgraded, it is possible the United Kingdom, the only other nation with Tomahawk cruise missiles would begin modernizing its arsenals, Red said. U.S. law covering foreign military sales says systems and weapons must be fielded first in the United States.
“We’re still working through that” in Washington and London, Red said.”
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Among comments
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“Bateman
Given the proliferation of VLSs among US allies it has always surprised me that the only foreign navy to ever purchase the Tomahawk is Britain’s Royal Navy. It just strikes me, no pun intended, that a maritime based, long ranged, land attack cruise missile is almost a necessity if your navy posses true blue water assets and you have interests located overseas.”
“Andy Bateman
Unfortunately, to get into the TLAM business it’s not just the missile and launcher; it’s also the communications, targeting, and mission planning capability that a nation would have to buy. Sure, they could come to an agreement to just use the USN’s infrastructure for that, but for most nations paying the US for the privilege of employing a weapon they’ve already bought from the US is a bridge too far, not to mention their loss of control. So, it’s the cost associated with standing up the necessary planning cells and infrastructure that puts the capability beyond the budgetary reach of most partner navies.”
“ARCNA442 Bateman
How many allies do we have with true blue water navies and interests located overseas? The UK already bought TLAM, France developed MdCN, Japan doesn’t buy offensive weapons, Korea developed the Hyunmoo 3, and the Netherlands wanted TLAM but couldn’t afford it. Who’s left? Canada doesn’t have the Mk41 anymore, Australia only had 8-cell ships until 2 years ago, It’s unlikely Spain could afford it, and Germany probably doesn’t want them.”
“Phaeton Bateman
It’s not exactly legal to sell Tomahawks, MTCR and all.”
“Marauder 2048 Phaeton
The MTCR doesn’t apply to treaties or arrangements (e.g. NATO) that precede the MTCR coming into force in 1997.”
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