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| Press Release Number: EPEOW200305081 | 08-May-03 |
Tactical Tomahawk Presses on with First Live Warhead Test |
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| The U.S. Navy's new Tomahawk cruise missile, Block IV or Tactical Tomahawk, was launched today from an Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer, the USS STETHEM (DDG-63), in the waters of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) sea test range off the coast of southern California. Today's event marked the second launch of the Tactical Tomahawk from an operational surface ship and the first live warhead demonstration. Today's event continues the Navy's formal government testing of surface/sub-surface missile launches. This test successfully demonstrated the newest advances in the Tomahawk Weapon System communication suite by validating transmissions, reception, and initiation of the missile prior to launch. The missile blasted from the vertical launching system and transitioned to cruise flight for the 760 nautical mile mission to target impact on San Clemente Island. The missile flawlessly navigated the assigned mission through the use of global positioning satellite and Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator (DSMAC). The test successfully demonstrated the unique Block IV weapon system communication capability between the USS STETHEM and the in-flight missile. Using the Tomahawk Strike Network, messages were sent from the ship successfully retargeting the missile and collecting bomb damage indication information. The missile performed a planned terminal air-burst maneuver and destroyed the satellite antenna target. The Tomahawk missile is ship and submarine launched, and was first employed operationally during Desert Storm. Since then, the missile has been heralded for its accuracy and lethality in numerous operations. The Tactical Tomahawk boasts several enhancements as demonstrated today, which increase warfighter effectiveness and responsiveness, while significantly reducing acquisition and life cycle costs. The missile will become operational in the middle of 2004. When asked to comment, Cmdr. David Melin, Commanding Officer, USS STETHEM said, "I am extremely proud of USS STETHEM's contributions to the Tactical Tomahawk program. Every shot is a significant program milestone that gets us one step closer to fielding this next-generation force multiplier for the Navy's land attack warfare mission. The efforts of the 340 'steelworkers' of USS STETHEM, program offices, land-based test sites and contractors are paying huge dividends as evidenced by this second flawless launch from STETHEM and fifth perfect flight of the Block IV missile." The Tomahawk program is managed by the Program Executive Office, Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation (PEO(W)) co-located at the NAVAIR complex in Patuxent River, Maryland. The missile is manufactured by Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Ariz. As in all Tomahawk flight tests, air route safety was carefully planned in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). For safety purposes, the Tactical Tomahawk could have been guided by commands from safety chase aircraft. Tomahawk is a registered trademark of the United States Navy. NAVAIR provides advanced warfare technology through the efforts of a seamless, integrated, worldwide network of aviation technology experts. From professional training to carrier launch and recovery; from sensor data to precision targeting and real-time communications; from aircraft and weapons development to successful deployment and sustainment; NAVAIR provides dominant combat effects and matchless capabilities to the American warfighter. |
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