Performance characteristics of tomahawk missiles and caliber. The Tomahawk cruise missile is a modern ax of war

They will rain fire from the sky. Like a gust of “divine wind” sweeping enemy battalions from the face of the Earth. Winged suicide robots. They are braver than the bravest kamikazes and more ruthless than the fiercest SS Sonderkommandos.

Not a single muscle will tremble in the face of death. Machines are not afraid to kill and die. They are already dead to begin with. And, if necessary, they will disappear without hesitation in a blinding flash when colliding with a target.

In the meantime... the rocket rushes through the darkness of the night to the place of its death.
An hour ago, she left the cozy cell on board the submarine and, breaking through a layer of cold water, jumped to the surface. The booster flame roared, lifting the Tomahawk to a height of 1,000 feet. There, on the descending branch of the launch site, the engine air intake extended, the short wings and tail unit opened: the combat robot rushed behind the head of its victim. Now nothing can save the unfortunate people whose photographs are placed in the memory of the flying killer...

Myth No. 1. The Tomahawk solves everything.

Nikita Sergeevich, are you still here?!

Missile euphoria does not leave minds and hearts: the impressive capabilities of the “Axe” have given rise to confidence that the use of cruise missiles alone can bring victory in any war.

Why risk an expensive plane and the priceless life of the pilot? These endless trainings and advanced training of flight crews. Airfields, fuel, ground staff...
Why such difficulties and unjustified risk if you can drive a squadron of submarines and pelt the enemy with thousands of flying suicide robots? The flight range of the "Axe" in the "conventional" version - 1200...1600 km - allows you to complete the mission without entering the enemy army's kill zone. Simple, effective and safe.

12 launchers in the bow of the Los Angeles-class submarine

The mass of the missile warhead is 340 kg. There are a dozen different warhead options for various types targets: cluster, armor-piercing, semi-armor-piercing, “conventional” high-explosive warheads... Several attack algorithms: from horizontal flight, from a dive, with detonation during horizontal flight over the target. All this allows you to complete almost any task on enemy territory.

Eliminate the selected target, destroy any military or civilian infrastructure. Destroy the airfield's runway, set fire to a hangar with military equipment, knock down a radio tower, blow up a power plant, break through several meters of earth and concrete - and destroy a protected command post.

Work is continuously underway to expand the tactical flexibility of using cruise missiles: the latest modification of the RGM/BGM-109E Tactical Tomahawk was equipped with satellite communications and GPS navigation units. The new missile can loiter in the air, waiting for the right moment to attack. In addition, she gained the ability to reprogram in flight and, depending on the situation, attack one of 15 pre-designated targets.

Attack from level flight

The only thing that the Tomahawk still cannot do is attack moving objects.*

* the ability to effectively hit moving targets, incl. ships, was implemented in the Tomahawk modification Block IV Multi-Mode Mission (TMMM), which was recognized as excessively expensive and was never adopted by the US Navy

In addition, there was a modification of the BGM-109B Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missle (TASM) - an anti-ship version of the Tomahawk with an active radar seeker from the Harpoon anti-ship missile system. Due to the lack of a worthy enemy, TASM was withdrawn from service about 10 years ago.

Intercept a convoy with (for example, S-300 air defense vehicles on the march) or delay an advancing tank battalion? Modern cruise missiles are powerless on such missions. We'll have to call the air force.
Frontline bombers, attack aircraft, attack helicopters, UAVs, after all, these “birds” still have no equal over the battlefield. High tactical flexibility (up to complete cancellation of the mission and return to base) and a wide range of ammunition make aviation indispensable in the fight against ground targets.

Nevertheless, the trend is obvious: the experience of local wars over the past 20 years has demonstrated a 10-fold increase in the role of cruise missiles sea-based(SLCM). Every year, “Tomahawks” acquire new skills and “gain permission” to perform increasingly complex tasks.

The destroyer USS Barry (DDG-52) shells Libya as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn (2011)

As practice has shown, SLCMs are quite successful in “trampling” a victim into the Stone Age, destroying the air defense system and disorganizing the enemy army. Left in the very first hours of the war without radars, air defense systems, airfields, power plants, fuel storage facilities, cell and radio communication towers, command posts etc. strategically important objects, the enemy turns out to be unable to provide serious resistance. Now you can take it “warm”.

In such conditions, ultra-expensive and complex stealth aircraft and other “raptors” become unnecessary. Bomb bridges and retreating tank columns from an unattainable height? Simple and cheap F-16s can easily cope with this task.

Myth No. 2. "Tomahawk" is capable of hitting a window.

The accuracy of the Tomahawk is a source of heated debate. During Operation Desert Storm, debris American missiles were found even on the territory of Iran - some of the “Axes” deviated from the course by several hundred kilometers! The result of a programmer error or an accidental failure in the on-board computer of the rocket...

But what are the real capabilities of the Tomahawks? What is the calculated value of their circular probable deviation (CPD)?

Traditional Tomahawk guidance methods include:

INS for flights over terrain with weak radar contrast (for example, over the sea - the water is the same everywhere). Gyroscopes and accelerometers operate until the missile arrives in the first correction area over the enemy’s coast, then guidance is carried out using more high-tech methods.

Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) relief metric system - scans the underlying terrain and compares the received data with radar images stored in the missile's memory.

The very principle of TERCOM’s operation is the basis for many jokes: “While the Yankees are preparing the flight mission, our construction battalion will dig up the entire terrain again”! But seriously speaking, TERCOM is one of the most reliable and effective ways SLCM guidance. The Tomahawk navigates the terrain autonomously: it does not need constant guidance from a satellite or from a remote operator. This increases reliability and eliminates the risk of being deceived by enemy signals.

On the other hand, this imposes a number of limitations - for example, TERCOM is ineffective when flying over deserts or snowy tundra. The terrain should include a maximum of contrasting objects (hills, roads and clearings, railway embankments, settlements). The route is laid in such a way as to avoid open water spaces (lakes, estuaries) on the path of the rocket big rivers etc.) - otherwise, this may lead to critical failures in the rocket’s navigation system.

All this creates for the Yankees such a problem as the “predictability” of their missile attacks and, as a result, an increase in losses among the missiles fired. The enemy (if, of course, he has even a drop of intelligence) will quickly figure out the main directions of the threat - and deploy air defense systems there.

Third method of guidance. The optical-electronic system DSMAC in the final part of the trajectory of the rocket behaves like the legendary Terminator from the James Cameron action movie: it continuously scans the area with its electronic “eye”, comparing the appearance of the “victim” with a digital photograph embedded in its memory. The future has already arrived!

Finally, the latest modification of the “Axe” received the ability to navigate using GPS data. This greatly simplifies the process of preparing for launch, because... there is no need for complex maps for TERCOM operation (routes and radar images of the area are prepared in advance, on shore - in the flight mission preparation centers on the territory of the Norfolk and Camp Smith naval bases).

If operating in GPS navigation mode, the ship’s crew can independently “drive” coordinates into the rocket’s memory, without any specific description of the target - then the rocket will do everything itself, simply exploding near the specified location. Accuracy decreases, but efficiency increases. Now SLCMs can be used as a means of fire support and work on emergency calls for Marines.

In field conditions, if there are high-quality images of the “target”, the value of the circular probable deviation of the “Tomahawk” is indicated within 5...15 meters. And this is with a launch range of 1000 kilometers or more! Impressive.

Myth No. 3. The Tomahawk is easy to shoot down.

Well, then do it! Does not work?...

The safety of the Ax is ensured by its secrecy. The extremely low flight altitude - only a few tens of meters - makes it invisible to ground-based radars. The radio horizon in this case does not exceed 20-30 km, and if we take into account natural obstacles (hills, buildings, trees), detecting a low-flying missile that cleverly hides in the folds of the terrain seems to be a very dubious undertaking.

Special operations boat based on the USS Ohio. In total, the ship's 22 missile silos accommodate 154 Tomahawks + 2 silos are used as airlocks for combat swimmers

To detect, escort and hit such a “difficult target” from the ground - this requires a large amount of luck and, preferably, knowledge of the most likely approach routes for Tomahawks. A coincidence, nothing more. There is no need to talk about any effective counteraction to swarms of SLCMs.

It is no less difficult to intercept an Ax using air assets- the small size and EPR of the missile make “Tomahawk hunting” an extremely difficult undertaking.

Dimensions of the Tomahawk SLCM: length - 5.6 m, wingspan - 2.6 m.
For comparison, the dimensions of the Su-27 fighter: length - 22 meters, wingspan - 14.7 meters.

“Axe” has a smooth, streamlined shape, without any radio-contrast parts or hanging elements. The Yankees are hinting at the use of radio-absorbing coatings and materials transparent to radio waves in its design. Even without taking into account the elements of stealth technology, the effective dispersion area of the Tomahawk missile does not exceed 1 square meter. meters - too little to detect it from a great distance. Finally, the search for a flying missile is carried out against the background of the earth, which introduces additional difficulties into the operation of fighter radars.

Official data on the MiG-31 interceptor confirms the following: from an altitude of 6000 meters, target acquisition with an EPR of 1 square. meter flying at an altitude of 60 meters is carried out at a distance of 20 km.
Considering that only one SSGN on the Ohio platform is capable of launching up to 154 SLCMs, the required number of fighters to repel an attack will exceed the capabilities of the Air Force of any of the countries against which the Yankees are going to fight.

Wreckage of a downed Tomahawk at the Belgrade Aviation Museum

In practice, the situation looked like this: during the NATO aggression against Yugoslavia, the US and British Navy fired about 700 Tomahawks at targets on the territory of the FRY. Official Serbian sources give figures of 40...45 SLCMs shot down, NATO representatives disagree and give even lower figures. In general, the situation is sad: the Serbian military barely managed to shoot down 5% of the missiles fired at them.
It is noteworthy that one of the “Axes” was shot down by a Serbian MiG-21 - the pilot established visual contact with it, got close and shot the robot from the on-board cannon.

Myth No. 4. "Tomahawks" are only suitable for war with the Papuans.

The cost of a Tomahawk missile, depending on its modification and type of warhead, can reach $2 million. To release 500 of these “things” means ruining the US budget by 1 billion green banknotes.
Flight range 1200…1600 km. Warhead 340 kg. Combined guidance system - relief TERCOM, DSMAC, satellite communication and navigation systems. The starting weight is within one and a half tons. Carriers are destroyers and nuclear submarines.

No, gentlemen. Such destructive and expensive weapons were not created to exterminate the unfortunate inhabitants of Papua New Guinea. The Tomahawk should be used wisely; just scattering two million rockets across the desert is an unheard of extravagance even for wealthy Yankees.

Launch of a Tomahawk SLCM from the nuclear-powered cruiser USS Mississippi (CGN-40), Operation Desert Storm, 1991. The missile is launched from an armored launcher Mk.143 Armored Launch Box

It doesn’t take a brain to determine the purpose of cruise missiles - a stunning blow to the military and civilian infrastructure of an enemy that has some military potential: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yugoslavia... Against those who are able to snap back and resist.

In these cases, the Yankees pull out their “insurance policy” from their sleeve - a flock of flying killers that will “clear” corridors in the country’s air defense system, disorganize the enemy army and allow NATO aircraft to seize air supremacy. Cruise missile The Tomahawk is not subject to any arms limitation treaties or conventions, which means you can feel free to launch Axes left and right without any remorse.

As for ordinary Basmachi with Berdan guns, the Yankees smear them with 105 mm howitzers installed in the openings of the sides of AS-130 “gunships”. Tomahawk missiles and other high-tech are of no use there.

Myth No. 5. "Tomahawks" pose a danger to Russia

Russia, along with India and China, is one of the few countries that can ignore the US Navy and its saber-rattling. "Tomahawk" is a purely tactical weapon for local wars. This trick won't work with Russia - the Russian General Staff won't understand American jokes, and it could end in a terrible thermonuclear massacre.

Even in theory, with a ratified treaty with the United States on mutual renunciation of the use of nuclear weapons, naval cruise missiles are ineffective against purely continental Russia - all industrial centers, arsenals and strategically important facilities are located a thousand kilometers from the coast, at the limit of the Tomahawk's flight range.

As for the possible equipping of the Axes with thermonuclear warheads, this threat would make sense only in the absence of intercontinental ballistic missiles. In the event of a war with the use of Trident-2, a belated strike with cruise missiles (the flight time of the Tomahawks will be many hours) will no longer have any significance.

The thrifty Yankees were well aware of the futility of the Ax as a carrier of nuclear weapons, so they scrapped all their nuclear SLCMs 20 years ago.

Number of nuclear warheads in service with the US Armed Forces. Thick line - strategic warheads for ICBMs. The thin line is "tactical" nuclear weapon, incl. "Tomahawks" with SBCh

Launch of a Tomahawk from the bow launcher of the destroyer USS Farragut (DDG-99)

The Caliber and Tomahawk missiles are capable of hitting surface and ground targets at long ranges, breaking through enemy air defenses. The Tomahawk and Caliber systems belong to the same class of missile weapons, which allows direct comparison between them.

In October 2015, ships of the Russian Navy used Kalibr cruise missiles for the first time in a real combat operation. This strike on the targets of illegal armed groups in Syria caused a real sensation, and also showed that Russia now has missile systems with the highest characteristics. A few days ago, the United States was reminded of its missile potential by attacking the Syrian airbase of Shayrat using Tomahawk cruise missiles. It is quite natural that experts and military enthusiasts are again trying to compare Russian and American weapons, as well as draw certain conclusions.

Recent facts about the combat use of Russian- and American-made cruise missiles clearly show that the weapons of the two countries have certain common features. Both missiles are capable of hitting surface and ground targets at long distances and delivering relatively high-power warheads to the specified target. There is also reason to believe that both missile systems have a certain potential for breaking through enemy air defenses. In general, the Tomahawk and Caliber systems belong to the same class of missile weapons, which allows direct comparison between them.

It should be noted that the comparison results may be affected in a certain way by the difference in the age of the samples under consideration. The Tomahawk family of missiles was adopted by the United States in the early eighties, while the operation of the Russian Caliber began only a few years ago. However, we should not forget that over the past decades, American weapons have been repeatedly modernized with new capabilities and improved basic characteristics. In addition, Tomahawk and Caliber products are currently the main weapons of their class in the armed forces of the two countries. Therefore, a comparison of two missiles is unlikely to encounter the problem of them belonging to different generations.

Both rockets in question have a mass common features. Thus, they are intended for use by surface ships and submarines. The purpose of such weapons is to deliver combat units to enemy targets located at tactical strategic depth. These capabilities can be used both to destroy certain important objects and to suppress existing air defenses before strike aircraft enter the battle.

Tomahawk missiles

Within the Tomahawk family, the American military industry has created several missiles for various purposes with different characteristics. To date, several types of missiles remain in the arsenals of the US Navy. To attack ground targets, products of the BGM-109C/UGM-109C and BGM-109D/UGM-109D modifications are offered, both basic versions and those that have undergone modernization. Such missiles can be used by both surface ships and submarines.

The Tomahawk product is a cruise missile 6.25 m long with a folding wing with a span of 2.6 m. The launch weight, depending on the modification, reaches 1.5 tons. The missile is equipped with a sustainer turbojet engine. A solid-fuel starting engine is also used, which is necessary to complete the starting section of the trajectory. Depending on the modification, the missile is equipped with an inertial, satellite or radar homing system. The missile carries a high-explosive or cluster warhead weighing 120 kg. Previously, the arsenal consisted of “sea” missiles with a special warhead, but, according to available data, such equipment was abandoned several years ago.

The Tomahawk ship modification can be used with several types of launchers. The missile is stored and launched using the Mk 143 installation with four transport and launch containers or using the Mk 41 universal vertical launcher, each cell of which accepts one missile. Submarines can use such weapons using standard 533 mm torpedo tubes or separate vertical launchers of the Mk 45 type.

The techniques for firing missiles of different modifications from different carriers are slightly different, but the general principles are similar. After programming the guidance systems, the missile is ejected from the launcher, then the launch engine carries out the initial acceleration of the product and puts it on the required trajectory. Then the rocket discards all unnecessary elements and turns on the propulsion engine.

According to reports, the latest naval modifications of the Tomahawk missile have a flight range of up to 1,700 km. Some previous versions of missiles could deliver warheads to a range of up to 2,500 km. Flight speed reaches 890-900 km/h. An important feature of the latest weapon modifications is the ability to loiter in a given area and aim at another target after launch. Such functions to a certain extent increase the combat potential and flexibility of missile use.

Tomahawk cruise missiles have been in service since the eighties, and over the past decades have become the most important element American arsenals. According to available data, more than 4 thousand such missiles have been manufactured and delivered to the armed forces to date. About half of the products were used during exercises or actual combat operations. From this point of view, the rockets of the family hold an unconditional record in their class, which is unlikely to ever be broken.

The first time Tomahawks were used outside of a training ground was in 1991, during the Gulf War. In total, the US Navy used 288 such missiles (276 were fired by ships and 12 by submarines). Most of the products reached their targets, but some of the missiles were lost for technical reasons or shot down by enemy air defenses. In two operations in 1993, the US Navy again attacked Iraqi targets, using nearly seven dozen missiles. In 1995, the first Tomahawk launch took place against targets in Yugoslavia.

Subsequently, cruise missiles were used by ships, submarines and aircraft to destroy targets in Yugoslavia, the Middle East, Afghanistan, etc. Latest on this moment The missile attack took place on April 6. Two American ships sent 59 missiles to a Syrian airbase. As it soon became known, only 23 missiles reached their targets. The rest, according to various sources, either fell into the sea before reaching the coast of Syria, or were shot down by anti-aircraft systems.

From recent official reports it follows that the Pentagon intends to continue the development and modernization of Tomahawk family cruise missiles. These weapons, undergoing updates and gaining new capabilities, will remain in service for a long time. There are no specific plans to replace such missiles with newer models yet.

Caliber missiles

Work on the creation of a promising missile system, which resulted in the appearance of the Caliber family, started back in the mid-seventies. Over the next few years, the requirements for the complex changed, and in addition, several economic and political factors affected the development process. The final appearance of the new complex was formed only in the early nineties, and soon models of the new missiles were shown to the general public.

The following years passed without much success, since Russian industry simply did not have the opportunity to fully develop existing projects. The situation changed only in the two thousand years, when the design of new systems was completed and it became possible to begin testing. By the end of the decade, the development of a number of missiles for various purposes and complexes intended for their use was completed. Subsequently, complexes and missiles of new types were included in the armament of new ships and submarines. The Kalibr-NK complex with a 3S14 launcher is intended for surface ships, and the Kalibr-PL complex, which uses standard torpedo tubes, is intended for submarines.

To attack ground targets, the Kalibr family complexes use 3M-14 cruise missiles. This rocket has a length of 6.2 m and a folding wing. With the wing folded, the maximum diameter of the product is 533 mm, which allows it to be used together with standard torpedo tubes. The rocket is equipped with a sustainer turbojet engine and a solid propellant launch engine. According to available data, a homing system is used, which includes inertial and satellite navigation equipment. The target is hit using a high-explosive warhead weighing up to 400 kg.

Until a certain time flight characteristics Caliber missiles remained unknown. Promotional materials for this project indicated a maximum range of 300 km, but such numbers were directly related to existing export restrictions. The actual firing range remained a mystery. In the fall of 2015, Russian ships from the Caspian Flotilla launched a large number of missiles at targets in Syria. To achieve these goals, the missiles had to cover about 1,500 km. Soon there were suggestions about a higher flight range, up to 2-2.5 thousand km. For obvious reasons, officials refrain from commenting on this topic.

Video recordings made by Russian drones during monitoring of the results of the use of missile weapons showed the high accuracy of the Caliber complex. In most cases, the missile detonates the warhead either upon impact with the intended target or with minimal deviation from it. In combination with the large mass of the warhead, this makes it possible to increase the efficiency of destroying targets.

Almost all of the newest surface ships and submarines have become carriers of the Caliber family of missiles Russian fleet. Thus, Project 22350 frigates are equipped with two launchers with eight missile cells on each. Project 11356 frigates, the Dagestan patrol boat (Project 11661), Project 20385 corvettes and Project 21631 small missile ships carry one installation each. According to some reports, in the near future, modernized nuclear cruisers of Project 1144 will receive such weapons. The Caliber-PL complex is used on diesel-electric submarines of Project 636.3 Varshavyanka and 885 Yasen. It was reported about the possibility of modernizing submarines of other projects with replacing existing weapons with new “Calibers”.

The Kalibr-NK missile system was first used on October 7, 2015. Four ships of the Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy used 26 missiles and destroyed 11 terrorist targets in Syria. In December of the same year, the submarine B-237 “Rostov-on-Don” solved a similar combat mission from the water area Mediterranean Sea hit a ground target. Subsequently, ships and submarines of the Russian fleet repeatedly used strike missile weapons and destroyed various enemy targets. To date, at least 40-50 cruise missiles have been used, hitting several dozen targets. In foreign means mass media There have been numerous reports of missiles falling while traveling along the route, but precise information on this matter, including the number of failed products, is not available.

The problem of comparing "Caliber" and "Tomahawk"

Assessing the effectiveness and comparing two models of modern missile weapons is a rather difficult task. The actual combat performance of missile systems is affected by many different factors, which makes their assessment difficult. Nevertheless, the available information still allows us to draw a general picture and draw some conclusions.

In the case of the Tomahawk family of missiles, the assessment is facilitated by the fact that over the previous decades the US Navy managed to take part in several combat operations and expended a huge amount of weapons. Wherein fighting were conducted in different regions and against enemies with different technical capabilities. For example, on September 23, 2014, 47 cruise missiles were sent to targets near Syrian Raqqa and other cities captured by terrorists. Without having modern systems Air defense, terrorists were unable to intercept the missiles and lost a significant number of their facilities. The missile attack carried out on October 13, 2016 ended in a similar way. Five missiles aimed at the Yemeni Houthi radar station successfully reached their targets.

As is known, cruise missiles belong to the category of aerodynamic targets and therefore are included in the range of tasks anti-aircraft systems, available to some US opponents. According to various sources, during the Gulf War, out of 288 missiles launched, the Iraqi military managed to intercept and destroy up to three dozen. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the United States used more than eight hundred Tomahawk missiles, some of which also failed to reach their targets due to unsuppressed air defenses. Earlier, during the fighting in Yugoslavia, out of more than 200 missiles, up to 30-40 were shot down.

The reasons for such results from the use of guided missile weapons are simple and understandable. The available flight data and flight profile, despite the low altitude and associated difficulties for air defense, cannot be guaranteed to protect the Tomahawk missile from anti-aircraft systems enemy. As the Iraqi and Yugoslav experience shows, even outdated anti-aircraft systems are quite capable of intercepting strike weapons and making it difficult to strike key targets.

However, in case of the presence of developed air defense, the United States has appropriate techniques. In the case of the use of Tomahawks, the first targets of the missiles are reconnoitered air defense targets. To increase the chances of destroying the intended targets, massive strikes are used, the complete reflection of which is simply impossible due to the limited capabilities of anti-aircraft systems. Such tactics lead to a large consumption of ammunition, but can quickly disable the enemy’s defenses, opening the way for strike aircraft.

Newer Caliber missiles cannot yet boast such a long combat career and unique quantitative indicators of use. At the moment, such weapons were involved in only one operation, during which only a few dozen products were used. The specifics of the current conflict in Syria lead to certain consequences that, to one degree or another, make it difficult to determine the real capabilities of the complex.

Terrorist groups operating on Syrian territory do not have serious air defense, which is why the Russian Caliber simply has nothing to break through. As a result, cruise missiles can reach their target almost unhindered and destroy it. The only serious problem in such a situation is possible technical problems. It was previously reported that already in the first salvo on October 7, 2015, several missiles failed to reach their targets, but detailed information about the fall of the weapon was not published. Apparently, if such incidents occurred, they were only a few times. Moreover, as follows from the reports of the Russian Ministry of Defense, even the loss of several missiles could not prevent the completion of assigned tasks and the destruction of intended targets.

When comparing modern Russian and American cruise missiles, one should take into account the important consequences of their existence and use. Until recently, only the United States and Great Britain could send warships to enemy shores and launch a massive attack with Tomahawk missiles. A large number of missiles and fairly high characteristics gave a high probability of successfully hitting all intended targets. Now similar weapons appeared in Russia too. Missiles with a flight range of up to 1,500 km and a significant number of their carriers, capable of reaching almost any point in the World Ocean, are a serious signal to a potential enemy.

Thus, the main conclusion from the current situation is not related to technical characteristics, the number of missiles or the probability of a missile defense breakthrough. Thanks to the emergence and adoption of the Caliber family of missiles, a new force has emerged in the oceans, capable of influencing the situation in certain regions. There is every reason to believe that in terms of the number of deployed missiles and their carriers Russian complex will never be able to catch up with the American Tomahawk, but even in such a situation, cruise missiles will be a serious tool capable of influencing the military-political situation.

Gone are the days when aviation was considered the main means of delivering high-power tactical ammunition. The advent of missile weapons and the improvement of missile technology have led to the fact that modern armed forces have acquired new, powerful and fast weapons - cruise missiles. These new means of combat combined both long range and high accuracy. The new missile systems had a fairly large damaging effect and could provide a massive strike. A striking representative of this type of weapon is the now well-known American BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile.

What is the Tomahawk missile launcher?

The American army became one of the first in the world to be equipped with a new tactical missile system on a large scale. The cruise missile, which appeared in 1983, became the most popular in its class. In addition, this is one of the few samples modern species weapons that were involved in almost all military conflicts. The Tomahawks are associated with the history of military operations during the first Gulf War (1990-1991), as well as the subsequent actions of multinational NATO forces in Yugoslavia in 1999. Already in the new millennium, American Tomahawks, with a twenty-year track record, again became one of the main types of weapons on the battlefield.

The Americans actually managed to create a universal means of struggle - a weapon that has become a convenient tool in modern military-political conditions. The name of the rocket is also symbolic, a tomahawk is a battle ax, legendary weapon North American Indians. For a modern army, the presence of such weapons is invaluable. Equipped with a new guidance system, this cruise missile, like the Indian ax, is barely noticeable in flight, fast and deadly. The strike is always accurate, not expected and unpredictable.

The reason for such qualities of the weapon lies in the design of the rocket and in the features of its design. For the first time, a guidance system was installed on a cruise missile, providing the projectile with complete autonomy in flight. The missile operates on the principle of pointing, releasing and forgetting. To control a flying projectile, neither the help of a gunner operator nor the presence of a satellite guidance system is required. The combat filling of several hundred kilograms of explosives was capable of disabling any target, both at sea and on land. High combat characteristics were the fruit of long-term design development, on which the American military department spent enormous sums. In 1973, American taxpayers spent $560 thousand on the development of the project alone. In the future, already for fine-tuning prototype over one million dollars was spent.

Testing of the first samples of the new rocket lasted 6 years. Only in 1983, after more than 100 test launches, the Pentagon announced the adoption of a new cruise missile for service with the American armed forces. This missile was created as a universal strike weapon capable of carrying nuclear weapons and conventional charges. It was planned to use ships of various classes as a launch platform, including nuclear submarines and strategic aircraft of the US Air Force, so modifications of cruise missiles were initially created, adapted for surface and underwater launch. The new Tomahawk missile system consisted of cruise missiles, launchers and a missile fire control system.

For reference: The first weapons were developed in two versions:
Tomahawk Block I BGM-109A TLAM-N strategic carrier with a nuclear warhead;
anti-ship missile Tomahawk Block I BGM-109B TASM with a conventional warhead.

Design features of the Tomahawk Block I cruise missile

It should be noted that the Americans took a practical approach to creating new weapons. Reached with Soviet Union In the mid-70s of the 20th century, nuclear parity required the creation of new means of delivering nuclear weapons, so initially a new cruise missile, the new battle ax, was developed in several modifications. The main, strategic version of the Tomahawk missile system had three modifications (A, C, D) and was designed to strike ground targets deep in the territory of a potential enemy. The second, tactical version of the missile included modifications B and E. These cruise missiles were supposed to destroy any surface targets.

Despite the differences in intended use, all modifications had the same design and device. The tactical and technical characteristics of the missiles were identical. The differences concerned only the combat equipment of the missiles - either a nuclear warhead or a warhead with a conventional high-explosive fragmentation charge.

The design of the cruise missile had all the characteristic features characteristic of this type of weapon. The body was a cylindrical monoplane, equipped with a fairing in the nose. The stability of the projectile in flight was ensured by protruding wings located in the central part of the body. The rocket had a cross-shaped stabilizer at the tail section. The main structural material was aircraft-grade aluminum and durable plastic. The use of protective materials in the body design ensured a significant reduction in the radar signature of the missile. The main engine for the new rocket was initially equipped with Williams F107-WR-400 turbojet engines with a thrust of 2.7 kN. Later, more powerful engines were installed on other modifications. For modifications of air-launched missiles, Teledyne CAE J402-CA-401 turbojet engines capable of producing a thrust of 3.0 kN were used.

A powerful propulsion engine provided the rocket-projectile with a flight speed of over 800 km/h. The flight range varied in the range of 800-2500 km, depending on the modification of the missile and the basing option. Typically, nuclear-tipped cruise missiles had a longer range. Tactical modifications were capable of flying shorter distances. Mixed performance characteristics for Tomahawk cruise missiles look like this:

flight range for ground (surface) launch missiles 1250 - 2500 km;
flight range of submarine-based missiles (underwater launch) up to 1000 km;
cruising flight speed 885 km/h;
maximum flight speed during the final phase of flight at certain angles of attack - 1200 km/h;
the rocket body had a length of 6.25 m;
wingspan 2.62 m;
the weight of the loaded missile varied in the range of 1450-1500 kg, depending on the type of warhead;
the missile could be equipped with a nuclear warhead, a high-explosive fragmentation charge, or a cluster warhead.

The power of the nuclear charge that the BGM-109A cruise missile could carry was 200 kt. The non-nuclear cruise missiles BGM-109C and BGM-109D were equipped with a semi-armor-piercing warhead weighing 120 kg or a combined action cluster warhead.

In the process of development and subsequent serial production the missiles were equipped with three types of guidance systems:

inertial;
correlation;
correlation electron-optical.

The latest modification of the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles, which is due to enter service with the US Army today, is already equipped with a completely new electro-optical guidance system DSMAC correlation action. During the marching flight, the missile's course can be adjusted taking into account the meteorological situation in the target area and the combat situation. In current conditions, weapons are a fully automated combat system, capable of making decisions independently depending on the characteristics of combat use.

What is the main feature of the Tomahawk missile launcher?

The main advantage that the Americans managed to achieve as a result of the creation of the Tomahawk cruise missile is the almost complete invulnerability of the weapon to air defense systems. A cruise missile launched towards a target flies at a low altitude, skirting relief features during its flight. Ground-based air defense systems in such a situation are unable to quickly respond to the flight of a projectile, practically not seeing it in flight. The missile's stealth in flight is facilitated by the missile's streamlined body, equipped with protective materials.

It is possible to identify a flying Tomahawk only if its flight route is known in advance. A clear example The conflict in Yugoslavia became invulnerable to cruise missiles for ground-based air defense systems. Of the 700 Tomahawk Block III cruise missiles, created in the early 90s, fired at targets in Yugoslavia, no more than fifty missiles were shot down. The missiles were shot down either on approach to the territory of Yugoslavia by air defense systems, or were attacked already on the territory of Yugoslavia by planes of the Yugoslav Air Force. The Yugoslavs were able to achieve such results due to one significant drawback that American miracle axes possess. The cruise missile has a low speed, which makes it vulnerable to fire fighter aircraft. Pilot modern aircraft if a flying projectile is visually detected, it can easily catch up with it and destroy it.

With a single launch, it is almost impossible to detect an incoming missile. The massive use of cruise missiles provides the possibility of simultaneous strikes against both strategic targets and identified targets of the enemy’s air defense system. Such a combined strike practically paralyzes the enemy, further limiting his actions.

Modern tactics of using cruise missiles

It should be noted that, despite all its technical perfection, the Tomahawk cruise missile is considered a high-precision weapon at a stretch. Only rockets with nuclear warheads can be considered a means of delivering single strikes. In tactical terms, the American armed forces are relying on the massive use of these weapons, despite their high cost. One launch of the Tomahawk cruise missile costs the American taxpayer $1.5 million.

According to the tactics of using this type of weapon, the deployment options also differ. While developing a new cruise missile, the Americans planned to arm the bulk of their navy with it. The task was to create a universal missile system capable of carrying out a massive launch. Thus, the Arleigh Burke class destroyers, the main ships of the US Navy, housed launchers for 56 missiles of this class. The last American battleship, Missouri, remaining in the fleet and participating in the attack on Iraq in 1991, carried 32 Tomahawk Block I BGM-109B cruise missiles.

The maximum number, up to 154 cruise missiles, could be carried by an Ohio-class nuclear submarine. The Americans built 18 such ships. All this suggests that the new weapon was planned to be used massively. In total, the Pentagon received funding for the construction and delivery of more than 4 thousand Tomahawk cruise missiles of various modifications to the US armed forces.

The latest modification of the Tomahawk Block IV missile, which began to be supplied to US strategic forces, on ships of the US Navy and Air Force, unlike previous modifications, is capable of targeting several targets at once. According to preliminary data, the newest rocket is capable of storing information about the location of 15 objects in memory. Moreover, the missile guidance system allows you to change the target parameters already during the flight. The know-how that the US military boasts of is the ability of a fired missile to loiter over an area, awaiting precise indication of targets and subsequent commands. In addition to improving the guidance system, work is actively underway to increase the power of the propulsion system. The latest modification of the rocket has an increased flight range due to reduced fuel consumption. Now “Tomahawks” will be capable of striking an enemy located at a distance of 3-4 thousand km from the launch site.

The work that is constantly being carried out to improve the cruise missile suggests that this weapon has great technical potential. The technical capabilities inherent in the missile design allow one to quickly change the technical parameters of the design, improving the tactical and technical characteristics of each new modification.

The international policy of Western countries (primarily England) of the late 19th and early 20th centuries is often called “gunboat diplomacy” by historians for their desire to solve foreign policy problems through the threat of using military force. If we follow this analogy, then the foreign policy of the United States and its allies in the last quarter of the 20th and the beginning of this century can be safely called “tomahawk diplomacy.” In this phrase, “tomahawk” does not mean the favorite weapon of the indigenous population North America, but the legendary cruise missile, which the Americans have regularly used in various local conflicts for several decades.

This missile system began to be developed back in the first half of the 70s of the last century; it was put into service in 1983 and since then it has been used in all conflicts in which the United States took part. Since the adoption of the Tomahawk into service, dozens of modifications of this cruise missile have been created, which can be used to destroy a wide variety of targets. Today, the US Navy is armed with fourth-generation BGM-109 missiles, and their further improvement continues.

Tomahawks turned out to be so effective that today they themselves are practically synonymous with a cruise missile. More than 2 thousand missiles have been used in various conflicts, and despite some misses and failures, these weapons have proven to be very effective.

A little history of the Tomahawk missile

Any cruise missile (CM) is, in fact, a flying bomb (by the way, the first samples of this weapon were called that), a disposable unmanned aerial vehicle.

The history of the creation of this type of weapon began at the beginning of the 20th century, before the outbreak of the First World War. However, the technical level of that time did not allow the production of operating systems.

Humanity owes the appearance of the first serial cruise missile to the gloomy Teutonic genius: it was launched into production during the Second World War. "V-1" took an active part in hostilities - the Nazis used these missiles to attack British territory.

"V-1" was equipped with an air-breathing engine, its combat unit weighed from 750 to 1000 kilograms, and the flight range reached from 250 to 400 kilometers.

The Germans called the V-1 a “weapon of retaliation,” and it was indeed quite effective. This rocket was simple and relatively cheap (compared to the V-2). The price of one product was only 3.5 thousand Reichsmarks - approximately 1% of the cost of a bomber with a similar bomb load.

However, no “miracle weapon” could save the Nazis from defeat. In 1945, all the Nazis' developments in the field of rocket weapons fell into the hands of the Allies.

In the USSR, the development of cruise missiles immediately after the end of the war was carried out by Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, then another talented Soviet designer, Vladimir Chelomei, worked in this direction for many years. After the beginning of the nuclear era, all work in the field of creating missile weapons immediately acquired the status of strategic, because missiles were considered as the main carrier of weapons of mass destruction.

In the 50s, the USSR was developing an intercontinental cruise missile, the Burya, which had two stages and was designed to deliver nuclear warheads. However, work was stopped for economic reasons. In addition, it was during this period that real successes were achieved in the field of creating ballistic missiles.

The United States also developed the SM-62 Snark cruise missile with an intercontinental range; it was even on combat duty for some time, but was later withdrawn from service. It became clear that in those days ballistic missiles turned out to be a much more effective means of delivering a nuclear charge.

The development of cruise missiles in the Soviet Union continued, but now the designers were given slightly different tasks. Soviet generals believed that such weapons were an excellent means of fighting against the ships of a potential enemy, and they were especially concerned about the American carrier strike groups (AUG).

Huge resources were invested in the development of anti-ship missile weapons, thanks to which the Granit, Malachite, Mosquito and Onyx anti-ship missiles appeared. Today, the Russian Armed Forces have the most advanced types of anti-ship cruise missiles; no other army in the world has anything like it.

Creation of the Tomahawk

In 1971, American admirals initiated the development of sea-launched strategic cruise missiles (SLCMs) capable of being launched from submarines.

Initially, it was planned to create two types of missile launchers: a heavy missile with a flight range of up to 5,500 km and launched from SSBN missile launchers (55 inches in diameter) and a lighter version that could be launched directly from torpedo tubes (21 inches). The light missile launcher was supposed to have a flight range of 2,500 kilometers. Both missiles had a subsonic flight speed.

In 1972, a lighter rocket option was chosen and the developers were given the task of creating a new SLCM (Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile) rocket.

In 1974, the two most promising missile launchers were selected for demonstration launches; they turned out to be projects from General Dynamics and Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV). The projects were given the abbreviations ZBGM-109A and ZBGM-110A, respectively.

Two launches of the product created at LTV ended in failure, so the General Dynamics rocket was declared the winner of the competition, and work on the ZBGM-110A was stopped. The revision of the CD has begun. During the same period, the leadership of the US Navy decided that the new missile should be able to launch from surface ships, so the meaning of the acronym (SLCM) was changed. Now the missile system under development has become known as the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile, that is, a “sea-based cruise missile.”

However, this was not the last introduction that the developers of the missile system encountered.

In 1977, the American leadership initiated a new program in the field of missile weapons - JCMP (Joint Cruise Missile Project), the goal of which was to create a single (for the Air Force and Navy) cruise missile. During this period, the development of air-launched missile launchers was actively underway, and the combination of two programs into one led to the use of a single Williams F107 turbofan engine and an identical navigation system in all missiles.

Initially, the naval missile was developed in three different versions, the main differences of which were their warhead. A variant was created with a nuclear warhead, an anti-ship missile with a conventional warhead and a missile launcher with a conventional warhead, designed to strike ground targets.

In 1980, the first tests of a naval modification of the missile were carried out: at the beginning of the year the missile was launched from a destroyer, and a little later the Tomahawk was launched from a submarine. Both launches were successful.

Over the next three years, more than a hundred Tomahawk launches of various modifications took place; based on the results of these tests, a recommendation was issued to accept the missile system into service.

BGM-109 Tomahawk navigation system

The main problem with using cruise missiles against objects located on land was the imperfection of guidance systems. That is why cruise missiles have long been practically synonymous with anti-ship weapons. Radar guidance systems perfectly distinguished surface ships against the background of a flat sea surface, but they were not suitable for hitting ground targets.

The creation of the TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) guidance and course correction system was a real breakthrough that made the creation of the Tomahawk missile possible. What is this system and on what principles does it work?

TERCOM's operation is based on the verification of altimeter data with a digital map earth's surface, embedded in the on-board computer of the rocket.

This gives the Tomahawk several advantages that made this weapon so effective:

Flight at extremely low altitude, skirting the terrain. This ensures the missile's high stealth and makes it difficult to destroy by air defense systems. Tomahawk can only be discovered at the last moment, when it is too late to do anything. It is no less difficult to see a missile from above against the background of the earth: its detection range by aircraft does not exceed several tens of kilometers.
Full autonomy of flight and target guidance: Tomahawk uses information about the unevenness of the terrain to correct the course. You can deceive the rocket only by changing it, which is impossible.

However, the TERCOM system also has disadvantages:

The navigation system cannot be used over the water surface; before the flight begins over land, the CD is controlled using gyroscopes.
The effectiveness of the system decreases over flat, low-contrast terrain, where the elevation difference is insignificant (steppe, desert, tundra).
Enough high value circular probable deviation (CPD). It was about 90 meters. For missiles with nuclear warheads this was not a problem, but the use of conventional warheads made such an error problematic.

In 1986, the Tomahawks were equipped with an additional navigation and flight correction system, DSMAC (Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation). It was from this moment that the Tomahawk turned from a weapon of thermonuclear Armageddon into a threat to everyone who does not love democracy and does not share Western values. The new modification of the missile was named RGM/UGM-109C Tomahawk Land-Attack Missile.

How does DSMAC work? The cruise missile enters the attack zone using the TERCOM system, and then begins to compare images of the terrain with digital photographs stored in the on-board computer. Using this method of guidance, a missile can hit a separate small building - the CEP of the new modification has decreased to 10 meters.

Cruise missiles with a similar guidance system also had two modifications: Block-II attacked the selected target at low level, while Block-IIA, before hitting the target, made a “slide” and dived onto the object, and could also be remotely detonated directly above it.

However, after installing additional sensors and increasing the mass of the warhead, the flight range of the RGM/UGM-109C Tomahawk was reduced from 2500 km to 1200. Therefore, in 1993, a new modification appeared - Block-III, which had a reduced mass of the warhead (while maintaining its power) and a more advanced engine, which increased the Tomahawk's flight range to 1,600 km. In addition, Block-III became the first missile to receive a guidance system using GPS.

Modifications of "Tomahawks"

Taking into account the active use of Tomahawks, the US military leadership set the manufacturer the task of significantly reducing the cost of their product and improving some of its characteristics. This is how the RGM/UGM-109E Tactical Tomahawk appeared, which entered service in 2004.

This rocket used a cheaper plastic body and a simpler engine, which almost halved its cost. At the same time, the “Axe” has become even deadlier and more dangerous.

The rocket used more advanced electronics; it is equipped with an inertial guidance system, the TERCOM system, as well as DSMAC (with the ability to use infrared images of the area) and GPS. In addition, the tactical Tomahawk uses a two-way UHF satellite communications system, which allows the weapon to be retargeted in flight. A television camera installed on the missile defense system makes it possible to assess the state of the target in real time and make decisions about continuing the attack or striking another object.

Today, the Tactical Tomahawk is the main modification of the missile in service with the US Navy.

Currently time is running development of the next generation Tomahawk. The developers promise to eliminate new rocket the most serious drawback inherent in current modifications: the inability to hit moving sea and ground targets. In addition, the new Topor will be equipped with a modern millimeter-wave radar.

Application of BGM-109 Tomahawk

The Tomahawk has been used in every conflict in recent decades in which the United States has been involved. The first serious test for these weapons was the Gulf War in 1991. During the Iraqi campaign, almost 300 missile launchers were launched, the vast majority of which successfully completed the mission.

Later, the Tomahawk missile launcher was used in several smaller operations against Iraq, then there was the war in Yugoslavia, the second Iraqi campaign (2003), as well as the operation of NATO forces against Libya. Tomahawks were also used during the conflict in Afghanistan.

Currently, BGM-109 missiles are in service with the US and British Armed Forces. Holland and Spain showed interest in this missile system, but the deal never took place.

BGM-109 Tomahawk device

The Tomahawk cruise missile is a monoplane equipped with two small folding wings in the central part and a cross-shaped stabilizer in the tail. The fuselage is cylindrical in shape. The missile has a subsonic flight speed.

The body consists of aluminum alloys and (or) special plastic with low radar signature.

The control and guidance system is a combined one; it consists of three components:

inertial;
by terrain (TERCOM);
electro-optical (DSMAC);
using GPS.

Anti-ship modifications have a radar guidance system.

To launch missiles from submarines, torpedo tubes (for older modifications) or special launchers are used. For launching from surface ships, special launchers Mk143 or UVP Mk41 are used.

At the head of the missile launcher there is a guidance and flight control system, followed by a warhead and a fuel tank. At the rear of the rocket is a bypass turbojet engine with a retractable air intake.

An accelerator is attached to the tail section, giving initial acceleration. It carries the rocket to a height of 300-400 meters, after which it separates. Then the tail fairing is dropped, the stabilizer and wings are deployed, and the main engine is turned on. The rocket reaches a given altitude (15-50 m) and speed (880 km/h). This speed is quite low for a rocket, but it allows for the most economical use of fuel.

The warhead of a missile can be very different: nuclear, semi-armor-piercing, high-explosive fragmentation, cluster, penetrating or concrete-piercing. The mass of warheads of different missile modifications also varies.

Advantages and disadvantages of the BGM-109 Tomahawk

The Tomahawk is undoubtedly a highly effective weapon. Universal, cheap, capable of solving many problems. Of course, it has disadvantages, but there are many more advantages.

Advantages:

due to the low flight altitude and the use of special materials, Tomahawks are a serious problem for air defense systems;
missiles have very high accuracy;
these weapons are not covered by cruise missile agreements;
Tomahawk missile launchers have a low maintenance cost (when compared with ballistic missiles);
this weapon is relatively cheap to produce: the cost of one missile in 2014 was $1.45 million, for some modifications it can reach $2 million;
versatility: various types of combat units, as well as different ways target destruction allows the Tomahawk to be used against a wide variety of targets.

If you compare the cost of using these missiles with conducting a full-scale air operation using hundreds of aircraft, suppressing enemy air defenses and installing jamming, then it will seem simply ridiculous. Current modifications of these missiles can quickly and effectively destroy stationary enemy targets: airfields, headquarters, warehouses and communications centers. Tomahawks were also used very successfully against enemy civilian infrastructure.

Using these missiles, you can quickly drive the country “into the stone age” and turn its army into an unorganized crowd. The task of the Tomahawks is to deliver the first strike against the enemy, preparing the conditions for further aviation or military intervention.

The current modifications of the “Axe” also have disadvantages:

low flight speed;
the flight range of a conventional missile is lower than that of a missile launcher with a nuclear warhead (2500 versus 1600 km);
inability to attack moving targets.

We can also add that the missile defense system cannot maneuver with large overloads to counter air defense systems, nor use decoys.

Currently, work on modernizing the cruise missile continues. They are aimed at extending its flight range, increasing the warhead, and also making the missile even “smarter.” The latest modifications of the Tomahawks are, in fact, real UAVs: they can loiter in a given area for 3.5 hours, choosing the most worthy “victim”. In this case, all data collected by the radar sensors is transmitted to the control center.

Technical characteristics of BGM-109 Tomahawk

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tomahawk(English BGM-109 Tomahawk, [’tɒmə‚hɔ:k] - Tomahawk) is an American multi-purpose high-precision long-range subsonic cruise missile (CR) for strategic and tactical purposes. It is in service with US Navy ships and submarines and has been used in all significant military conflicts involving the United States.

The BGM-109 Tomahawk was developed in a number of modifications, including:

Sea-launched cruise missiles SLCM (Sea-Launched Cruise Missile): BGM-109A/…/F, RGM/UGM-109A/…/E/H
Ground-Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM): BGM-109G
Air-launched missiles MRASM (English: Medium-Range Air-to-Surface Missile): AGM-109C/H/I/J/K/L

Story

In 1971, the leadership of the US Navy initiated work to study the possibility of creating a strategic cruise missile (CR) with underwater launch. In the initial phase of work, two RC options were considered:
The first option provided for the development of a heavy missile launcher with an underwater launch and a long flight range - up to 3,000 miles (5,500 km) and the placement of missiles on board five George Washington-class and five Ethen Allen-class SSBNs in UGM-27 Polaris SLBM launchers. (diameter 55 inches), removed from service. Thus, SSBNs became carriers of SSGN strategic cruise missiles.

The second option involved the development of a lighter missile launcher for 533-mm (21-inch) submarine torpedo tubes with a flight range of up to 1,500 miles (2,500 km).

On June 2, 1972, more than one was selected easy option for torpedo tubes, and in November of the same year, industry was awarded contracts for the development of SLCM (Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile) - an underwater-launched cruise missile.
In January 1974, the two most promising projects were selected for participation in competitive demonstration launches, and in 1975, the projects of General Dynamics and Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) were assigned the designations ZBGM-109A and ZBGM-110A, respectively (the prefix “Z” in the designation is status, and in the designation system of the US Department of Defense it was used to designate systems that are “on paper”, that is, in an early stage of development).

In February 1976, the first attempt to launch the YBGM-110A prototype (prefix “Y” in the designation) from a torpedo tube (TA) failed due to a malfunction of the TA. The second attempt was also not successful due to the failure of the wing panels to open. In March 1976, given two flawless launches of the YBGM-109A prototype and its less risky design, the US Navy declared the BGM-109 the winner of the SLCM program competition, and work on the BGM-110 project was discontinued.

During the same period, naval leadership decided that SLCM should also be adopted by surface ships, so the meaning of the SLCM acronym was changed to English. Sea-Launched Cruise Missile is a sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM). Flight testing of the YBGM-109A, including the TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) correction system, continued for a number of years.

In January 1977, the administration of President Jimmy Carter initiated a program called JCMP (Joint Cruise Missile Project), which directed the Air Force and Navy to develop their cruise missiles on a common technology basis. At this time, the US Air Force was developing the AGM-86 ALCM (Air-Launched Cruise Missile) air-launched cruise missile. One of the consequences of the implementation of the JCMP program was that only one type of propulsion system (Williams F107 turbofan of the AGM-86 missile) and TERCOM terrain correction systems (McDonnell Douglas AN/DPW-23 of the BGM-109 missile) received further development. Another consequence was the cessation of work on the basic modification of the AGM-86A missile system, which was almost ready for launch into production, and the holding of competitive flight tests for the role of the main air-launched cruise missile between the extended version of the AGM-86 with a range increased to 2400 km, designated as ERV ALCM ( English Extended Range Vehicle, later became AGM-86B) and AGM-109 (airborne modifications of YBGM-109A). After flight tests conducted between July 1979 and February 1980, the AGM-86B was declared the winner of the competition, and development of the air-launched AGM-109 ALCM was stopped.

The naval version of the BGM-109 continued to develop at this time. In March 1980, the first surface flight test of the production BGM-109A Tomahawk missile took place, from the Spruance-class destroyer USS Merrill (DD-976) (USS Merrill (DD-976)), and in June of the same year a successful launch of the serial Tomahawk from the submarine USS Guitarro (SSN-665) (English USS Guitarro (SSN-665)) of the Sturgeon project. This was the world's first launch of a strategic missile from a submarine.
Flight testing of the Tomahawk SLCM continued for three years, during which time more than 100 launches were made, as a result, in March 1983, it was announced that the missile had reached operational readiness and recommendations were issued for adoption.

The first modifications of these missiles, known as Tomahawk Block I, were the strategic BGM-109A TLAM-N (English Tomahawk Land-Attack Missile - Nuclear) with a thermonuclear warhead and the anti-ship BGM-109B TASM (English Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile) with warhead in conventional equipment. Initially, modifications of the missile launcher for various types of launch environment were designated by assigning a digital suffix, so the indices BGM-109A-1 and −109B-1 designated surface-launched missiles, and BGM-109A-2 and −109B-2 - underwater. However, in 1986, instead of a digital suffix to indicate the launch environment, the letters “R” for surface ships and “U” for submarines began to be used as the first letter of the index (“B” - denoting multiple launch environments).
The cost of one launch of the Tomahawk missile launcher in March 2011 was about $1.5 million.

The main difficulty in countering Tomahawk-type cruise missiles is the detection task. The low EPR of a missile imposes restrictions on the required radar power, and low-altitude flight - on its location (radio horizon range for a given altitude).

All these restrictions lead to the fact that at long range such missiles can only be detected with the help of AWACS aircraft. At medium ranges, detection is also possible using low-altitude detectors, as well as specialized interceptors. At short ranges, Tomahawks (and similar cruise missiles) can be detected by most modern military and civilian radars.

Since the Tomahawk flies at subsonic speed, cannot maneuver with high overloads, and also cannot use decoys, the detected missile is confidently hit by any modern air defense and missile defense systems that meet altitude restrictions.
The use of optical-electronic warfare equipment (in particular, noise suppressors that suppress the GPS signal) also seems promising, which will significantly reduce the accuracy of a missile hit, and therefore the danger to the defended object.

Carriers

23 Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines, 12 cruise missiles;
4 Ohio-class nuclear submarines, 154 cruise ships each;
3 Seawolf-class nuclear submarines, up to 50 charges for torpedo tubes, including cruise missiles;
3 Virginia-class nuclear submarines, up to 12 cruise missiles;
British attack nuclear submarine "Astyut" (2007, the first of four of this class), displacement 7200/7800 tons, service life ~ 30 years, 6 torpedo launchers, 48 torpedoes and missiles;
54 Arleigh Burke class destroyers are in service and 8 more are being built at the Brunswick and Pascagoula shipyards, armament 90/96 (depending on the series of the ship) Aegis launcher; In the universal version of the armament, the ship carries 8 " Tomahawks", in percussion - 56.
22 Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers, 122 Aegis launchers, in the standard version - 26 missile launchers;
Since 2013, the launch of 2 new destroyers of the DDG-1000 series with 80 launchers each

Combat use

Gulf War (1991)
Operation Decisive Force (1995)
Operation Desert Strike (1996)
Operation Desert Fox (1998)
NATO war against Yugoslavia (1999)
Invasion of Iraq (2003)
Intervention in Libya (2011)

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