BGM-109 Maritime Strike Tomahawkk
Initially there was a family of different Tomahawk versions, but nuclear-tipped, land-based, air-launched, and anti-ship variants were retired after the Cold War, leaving only the Navy’s conventional-warhead Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM). This could only be fired from ships and submarines, and only at stationary targets ashore, hence the recent interest in the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST). Beginning in 2017, the Navy began planning the development of the anti-ship capability as part of the Block IV modernization program. To provide the anti-ship capability of the MST, a new seeker would be developed; however, the warhead for the MST mission would be the same as on the Block IV system.
Currently, there are three fielded variants: Block III with a conventional unitary warhead, Block III with a conventional submunitions warhead, and Block IV with a conventional unitary warhead. Production of Tomahawk Block II and III missiles is complete. The Block IV Tomahawk is in production as the follow-on to the Block III conventional unitary warhead variant. These missiles are produced at lower cost and provide added capability, including the ability to communicate and be redirected to an alternate target during flight. The Navy plans to introduce the MST capability into the Block IV TACTOM missiles as the missiles go through their modernization process. Raytheon is conducting the mid-life recertification process at its Camden, Arkansas facility. The process replaces life-limited components in Block IV missiles to enable their remaining 15 years of service life, and provides the opportunity for the missiles to receive Block V modernizations. All Block IV missiles will undergo recertification and modernization. Block V Tomahawk missiles feature a NAV/COMMs upgrade that maintains the capability for In-Flight Target Updates and Improved Navigation. Future Block V capabilities will add to the NAV/COMMs upgrade and include the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST) variant, designated as Block Va; and the Joint Multiple Effects Warhead System (JMEWS), designated as Block Vb.
On 02 November 2021 Raytheon Missiles & Defense was awarded a $20 million contract for low-rate production of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk® cruise missile Block Va, which includes navigation and communication upgrades in addition to an advanced multi-mode seeker for engaging moving targets at sea. “This award is a significant and essential step toward addressing the U.S. Navy’s need to counter moving targets at sea,” said Kim Ernzen, vice president of Naval Power at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “Maritime Strike Tomahawk Block Va production ensures our Sailors have the most advanced long-range, first-strike weapons available to defeat advancing threats.”
The Tomahawk cruise missile is a precision weapon that launches from ships and submarines and can strike targets precisely from 1,000 miles away, even in heavily defended airspace. U.S. and allied militaries have flight-tested the GPS-enabled Tomahawk 550 times and used it in combat more than 2,300 times. Its most recent use came in 2018, when U.S. Navy warships and submarines launched 66 Tomahawk missiles at Syrian chemical weapon facilities.
In FY17, the Navy successfully concluded Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) operational test event OT-D-8. Testing included cybersecurity events, a reliability/maintainability maintenance demonstration, a non-firing strike group scenario, modeling and simulation, and a live fire flight test event. Upon completion of the Operational Test Launch program in 2013, DOT&E removed the Tomahawk Weapon System (TWS) from operational testing oversight. This decision was based upon TWS’s history of consistent satisfactory erformance over the past 9 years in test planning, test execution, and meeting reliability and performance requirements.
In FY17, the Navy issued an acquisition strategy for a series of incremental upgrades to develop an anti-ship capability. These upgrades modify the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM) into a Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST). Consistent with mission changes brought about by plans to develop an anti-ship capability, the TWS was placed back on DOT&E oversight. The Navy intends to field MST as a Rapid Deployment Capability (RDC) with a Quick Reaction Assessment (QRA) test strategy with an Initial Operational Capability fielding in FY22. However, a QRA alone will not support fielding beyond an initial capability.
To collect sufficient data for an adequate assessment of the MST capability, DOT&E identified the need for 16 test flights which could be accommodated by a combination of developmental and operational tests. Accomplishing this scope of live testing is reliant upon the Navy developing a tactical software in the-loop modeling and simulation test bed similar to the current Tomahawk modeling and simulation test bed for the land attack mission area.
During initial MST T&E planning discussions, DOT&E provided the Navy with an operational test design that utilized, as an analogy, the existing validated requirements for the Offensive Anti-Surface Weapon (OASuW) program. While the OASuW material solution is different (Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (AGM-158C LRASM)), the basic mission was assumed to be similar enough to act as a basis to develop a test design. Subsequent to providing this design, the Navy released the MST Memorandum of Capability and its contents did not require alteration of DOT&E’s test design. To collect sufficient data for an adequate assessment of the capability, the test design identified the need for 16 test flights (refined from the initial 36 test flight design) conducted as integrated developmental and operational testing. This reduced number of live flight tests assumed the Navy will develop a tactical software-in-the-loop modeling and simulation test bed to support the maritime strike mission that is similar to the current Tomahawk modeling and simulation test bed for the land attack mission area. Because of the very different environments and target characteristics, the current modeling and simulation test bed, optimized for the land attack mission, is not adequate for the maritime strike mission.
On 26 August 2019 Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, was awarded $7,229,582 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N00019-19-F-4153 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0003) in support of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST) Rapid Deployment Capability. This delivery order provides for an updated technical data package of the guidance test set, upgrade of existing units to support the MST upgrades, including hardware, software. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (85.2%); Logan, Utah (14%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (0.8%), and is expected to be completed in July 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,229,582 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
The Navy received its first Block V configured Tomahawk missile from Raytheon 25 March 2021, paving the way to provide the fleet with an upgraded warfighting capability. These first Block V missiles are from the existing Tomahawk Block IV inventory, and have been recertified and modernized for fleet use. “This is the next big advancement in Tomahawk capability, and a major achievement for the program,” said Capt. Red, program manager for the Tomahawk Weapons System program (PMA-280). “We’re focused now on delivering advanced capability to the fleet by recertifying and modernizing our Block IV inventory, and by contracting production Block V missiles.” Over the last four decades the program has continued to upgrade Tomahawk's capability and this marked the collaboration between Raytheon, supply chains, field activities and the program office.
On 29 October 2021 Raytheon Technologies, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $19,595,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00016) to a previously awarded contract (N0001919C0079). This modification adds scope to integrate, produce, qualify, test and field Maritime Strike Tomahawk seeker suites and all subsystems required to provide midcourse and terminal guidance to a modernized tactical Tomahawk missile for prosecution of maritime targets from surface and subsurface platforms. The procured quantity of seeker suites will be installed in recertified Tomahawk missiles for the Navy. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (42%); Boulder, Colorado (21.62%); Dallas, Texas (16.57%); North Logan, Utah (9.24%); Pontiac, Michigan (5.56%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (5.01%), and is expected to be completed in October 2024. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,595,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
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