BGM-109 Tomahawk Block IV
Tomahawk Block IV Phase I The Navy's premier strike weapon for the next generation was to have been the Block IV Phase I Tomahawk. Plans called for 1,253 Block IV missiles to be produced by remanufacturing currently bunkered TASMs (Tomahawk antiship variant) and upgrading Block II missiles to Block IV. Following extensive analysis of major regional conflict (MRC) Tomahawk usage and the resupply and support levels associated with it, OPNAV, in concert with fleet CINCs, developed an acquisition objective of 3,440 Block III and IV Tomahawk missiles through the completion of the Block IV program. This was part of the Tomahawk Baseline Improvement Program.
Tomahawk Block IV Phase II Future deep-strike requirements were in review and focused on technological advancements and cost reduction. Follow-on Tomahawk Block developments and replacement systems were also being reviewed. An antiarmor variant with a real-time targeting system for moving targets, using either Brilliant Antiarmor Technology or Search and Destroy Armor submunitions, was hoped to be a possibility. Both submunition options leveraged off U.S. Army developmental programs, aimed at reducing program costs. This was also part of the Tomahawk Baseline Improvement Program.
Tomahawk Baseline Improvement Program (TBIP) The Navy would have upgraded or remanufactured existing Tomahawk missiles with (1) GPS and an inertial navigation system to guide the missile throughout the mission and (2) a forward-looking terminal sensor to autonomously attack targets. These missiles were expected to enter service around 2000. This Tomahawk Baseline Improvement Program (TBIP) development was supposed to provide a comprehensive baseline upgrade to the Tomahawk Weapon System to improve system flexibility, responsiveness accuracy and lethality. Essential elements of the TBIP included upgrades to the guidance, navigation, control, and mission computer systems along with the associated command and control systems and weapons control systems. TBIP would have provided a single variant missile, the Tomahawk Multi-Mission Missile that is capable of attacking sea- and land-based targets in near real time. TBIP would have also enhanced its hard target penetrating capability beyond current weapons systems thus increasing the target set. TBIP aimed to provide UHF SATCOM and man-in-the-loop data link to enable missile to receive in-flight targeting updates, to transfer health and status messages and to broadcast Battle Damage Indication (BDI). The Advanced Tomahawk Weapons Control System (ATWCS) and Tomahawk Baseline Improvement Program would have provided a quick reaction response capability, real time target and aimpoint selection, autonomous terminal prosecution of the target and improve strike planning, coordination, mission tasking and lethality. However, this program proved to costly and was cancelled in 1996. The Block IV program and its designations were transferred to the Tactical Tomahawk program.
Tactical Tomahawk adds the capability to reprogram the missile while in-flight to strike any of 15 preprogrammed alternate targets or redirect the missile to any Global Positioning System (GPS) target coordinates. It also is able to loiter over a target area for some hours, and with its on-board TV camera, would allow the warfighting commanders to assess battle damage of the target, and, if necessary redirect the missile to any other target. Tactical Tomahawk permits mission planning aboard cruisers, destroyers and attack submarines for quick reaction GPS missions. The Tactical Tomahawk underwent a successful functional ground test (FGT) in mid-2002 at IHDIV's Rocket Motor Test Facility. This test served as a risk mitigation event prior to the first Tactical Tomahawk flight test. The successful completion of this test was a major milestone in the development of this new Tomahawk variant.
During this low-risk, high-fidelity test, the missile was exercised at the system level as it would be in free flight except that the missile is restrained in a specially designed test stand. A real time, six-degree-of-freedom simulation, developed by Raytheon and integrated into the FGT test platform by Indian Head engineers, was used to provide inputs to the missile's guidance system to simulate actual flight. Data review indicates that this missile design demonstrated all critical flight events required to achieve a successful flight. The initial Functional Ground Test evolutions on 5 February and 30 April 2002 at IHDIV were successful in flushing out a handful of anomalous behavior within the missile design. Due to the realistic and thorough nature of the FGT execution, design inadequacies within the propulsion, fuel and avionics sub-systems were identified. The design teams were able to identify root cause and efficiently implement re-design efforts to satisfactorily resolve the identified inadequacies. The final "go-fly" design configuration was successfully demonstrated during the latest FGT.
In December 2002 the Pentagon approved the Navy's plan to buy 1,353 of the new Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile for as much as $2 billion over five years. The weapon would enter full production in fiscal 2004, and the Navy would spend $241 million that year to buy 292 missiles and $195 million in fiscal 2005 for the next 227. The Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile is being developed for the Navy by Raytheon Systems Company. The updated costs for this next generation of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles are $729,000 each, down from the $1.4 million each for the Block III Tomahawks, now in the fleet. The total buy is now set at up to 2,200 missiles over a five-year cycle for a total program cost of $1.6 billion.
The tactical Tomahawk was accepted by the fleet on 29 September 2004. The new capabilities of the Tactical Tomahawk carries a two-way satellite link that allows operators to reprogram the missile in flight. It also delivers messages of its health and accuracy back to operators and can transmit limited battle damage imagery. The system has enhanced anti-jam global positioning system receivers and can be launched from surface ships or submarines while carrying a 1,000-pound warhead.
On 27 May 1999 Raytheon was awarded a $25,829,379 undefinitized cost-plus-incentive-fee/cost-plus-fixed-fee, ceiling amount contract for the modification of the Tactical Tomahawk missile to the Tactical Tomahawk Penetrator Variant configuration as part of the Second Counter-Proliferation Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration. The Tactical Tomahawk missile was modified to incorporate the government-furnished penetrator warhead and the hard-target smart fuze. Four Tactical Tomahawk Penetrator Variant missiles were assembled to conduct the advanced concept technology demonstration testing. Work was performed in Tucson AZ and a successful test was completed in May 2003.
Tomahawk Block IV TASM [Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile] On 12 June 2012, subject to Congressional approval and appropriation of funds, the Naval Air Systems Command announced that it intended to negotiate and award a contract to Raytheon Missile Systems for the development and/or deployment of a near term Offensive Anti-Surface Weapon by integrating sensors, targeting correlation algorithms, and weapons capable radio subsystems that can be rapidly integrated into the Tactical Tomahawk Block (BLK)IV Weapons System to meet a need date of 2015 (i.e., rapid development/deployment).
This effort included procurement of component kits, test equipment, support for tests, and converting Tomahawk missiles to Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare missiles. These subsystems will add capabilities to create a semi-autonomous weapon capable of detection, discrimination and terminal guidance to a moving maritime target that will meet urgent operational needs. The integration will require specific engineering design data for the BLK IV mechanical, electrical, and functional interfaces. The systems/subsystems interfaces will include weight and balance, guidance and control, executive computer control software, and satellite data terminal, among other avionic components.
For the purposes of this effort, NAVAIR intended to award this seeker and data-link integration effort to Raytheon, since it has been the sole developer, designer, and manufacturer of the BLK IV Tactical Tomahawk Missile since 1998 and solely possesses the knowledge, capability, and technical data packages for the BLK IV Tomahawk Missile.
The BLK IV's operating range, in-flight command and control capability, and VLS compatibility, along with its existing Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS) and Tomahawk Command and Control System (TC2S) infrastructure, will ensure that integration and performance capability requirements can be achieved with the available resources and provide the nearest term Initial Operational Capability. This effort requires extensive knowledge of the BLK IV Tomahawk Weapon System and Raytheon is the only known source capable of accomplishing the required effort in the required timeframe and without significant duplication of cost.
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