Why in News?
US President Donald Trump hinted at supplying long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, raising escalation concerns with Russia. Tomahawks offer precise, long-range strike capability; delivery would require training, logistics and could significantly impact the conflict’s dynamics politically.
Description:
About Tomahawk Missile:
- Type: Long-range, all-weather subsonic cruise missile.
- Origin: United States.
- Developer: Raytheon Missiles & Defense (a division of RTX Corporation).
- Primary Users: United States Navy and Royal Navy (UK).
- Purpose: Designed for precise deep land-attack missions, striking high-value and strategic fixed targets from sea platforms.
- First Combat Use: Operation Desert Storm (1991); later used in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria (2017).
Key Features:
| Parameter | Specification |
| Length | 18.3 feet |
| Weight | 3,200 pounds (≈ 4,400 with booster) |
| Warhead | 1,000-pound conventional explosive or cluster munition |
| Range | Up to 2,400 km |
| Speed | Around 885 km/h (subsonic) |
| Launch Platforms | Ships and submarines (via Vertical Launch System – VLS) |
| Guidance System | GPS, Inertial Navigation, and Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) |
| Accuracy (CEP) | Within 10 meters |
| Propulsion | Solid-propellant booster (launch phase) + turbofan engine (flight phase) |
| Unit Cost | Approx. USD 2 million per missile |
Salient Points:
- Capable of terrain-hugging flight at low altitudes to avoid radar detection.
- The non-linear flight path makes it hard to intercept by enemy air defences.
- Used primarily for pre-emptive precision strikes on strategic enemy infrastructure such as air defence, radar, and communication systems.
- Infrared detection is difficult due to low heat emission from the turbofan engine.
Strategic Importance:
- Enhances U.S. Navy’s stand-off strike capability — allowing attacks without entering hostile airspace.
- Geopolitical angle: Supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine could mark a major escalation in Western military support against Russia.
- Reflects technological advancement in precision strike warfare and long-range deterrence.
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