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Royal Australian Navy Tomahawk

Australia plans to buy up to 220 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States after the US State Department approved the sale in a deal valued at nearly $900m. The deal, which the Pentagon said involves up to 220 Tomahawk cruise missiles and technical support, comes just days after Australia announced it would buy three nuclear-powered attack submarines – with an option to acquire two more – from the US amid concerns over China’s growing military presence in the Indo-Pacific.

The Government of Australia requested to buy up to two hundred (200) Tomahawk Block V All Up Rounds (AUR) (RGM-109E); and up to twenty (20) Tomahawk Block IV All Up Rounds (AUR) (RGM-109E). Also included is support for all three segments of Australia's Tomahawk Weapon System (TWS) to include the All Up Round (AUR), the Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) and the Theater Mission Planning Center (TMPC). The support consists of unscheduled missile maintenance; spares; procurement; training; in-service support; software; hardware; communication equipment; operational flight test; engineering and technical expertise to maintain the TWS capability; and other related elements of logistical and program support.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States. Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region. It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability.

The proposed sale will improve Australia's capability to interoperate with U.S. maritime forces and other allied forces as well as its ability to contribute to missions of mutual interest. By deploying the Tomahawk Weapon System, Australia will contribute to global readiness and enhance the capability of U.S. Forces operating alongside them globally. Australia will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.

Australian officials said the new nuclear-powered submarines would be able to fire Tomahawk missiles. “Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific,” the US Department of Defence said in a statement on 17 March 2023. Australia’s strategic location “contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region,” the department said.

“By deploying the Tomahawk Weapon System, Australia will contribute to global readiness and enhance the capability of US Forces operating alongside them globally,” it said. The Tomahawks – jet-powered cruise missiles used primarily by the US and United Kingdom – will cost an estimated $895m. “The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” the defence department added.

Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia required longer-range missiles. “Making sure we have longer-range strike missiles is a really important capability for the country,” Marles told Australia’s Channel Nine. “It enables us to be able to reach out beyond our shores further, and that’s ultimately how we are able to keep Australia safe.”

Pat Conroy, Australia’s minister for the defence industry, international development, and the Pacific, said the missiles could be fired from the Virginia-class submarines that Australia announced it will buy from the US. “We certainly want the best possible capability for the Australian Defence Force, so that includes the ability to strike opponents as far away as possible from the Australian mainland,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “The cruise missiles are a critical part of that, as are the submarines that launch them,” Conroy said.

“We face the greatest strategic uncertainty since 1945. We face a regional arms race and a responsible government such as ours is dealing with that by investing in the best possible capability,” he said. “This is how we promote peace and stability, by putting question marks in any potential adversary’s mind,” he added.