Missile systems "Caliber" and "Tomahawk" The Tomahawk cruise missile is a modern ax of war. How far have the tomahawks flown?

Cruise missile represents a guided bomb with wings and an engine that allows it to fly 1.5-2 thousand kilometers to the target. But in the end, a charge will fall on the enemy’s head, generally identical to the warhead of a conventional, not the largest, aerial bomb weighing 300-400 kg.

And if in local conflicts Since many thousands of tons of air attack weapons are being poured into enemy positions, it would be naive to believe that the use of a couple of dozen “flying bombs” can somehow influence the course of hostilities even in the most insignificant conflict. Which, in fact, is confirmed by the current chronicle of events: despite missile strikes by the Russian Navy and dozens of destroyed terrorist headquarters, there is no end in sight to the war in Syria.

Fact: During Operation Desert Storm, coalition air forces dropped 144 thousand tons of bombs on Iraqi army positions. 30% of the strikes were carried out by precision guided weapons, including almost three hundred Tomahawk cruise missiles. As a result of the missile and bomb extravaganza, Saddam's troops were forced to leave Kuwait, which had previously been occupied. However, despite all the fictitious and real losses, there was no talk of any total defeat of the Iraqi armed forces. Iraq has retained a significant part of its military potential. Otherwise, who did the Americans fight valiantly again twelve years later? Then, by the way, we had to fire 800 naval cruise missiles at Iraqi targets. This is not counting the rocket attack in 1998 (Operation Desert Fox), when an additional 218 Tomahawks were launched into Iraq.

From the above statistics it is clear that the combat value of single cruise missiles, like any conventional means, is, to put it mildly, small. Only their massive use can have a certain effect, and then only with the direct participation of the air force and ground forces.

SLCMs are suitable for hitting stationary targets with pre-known coordinates, which makes it impossible to use them in rapidly changing conditions on the battlefield. The situation is complicated by the hours of waiting for the slow missile (0.6-0.8M) to reach the target... Finally, the inadequately high cost of SLCMs compared to conventional aircraft ammunition: up to $2 million for a serial Tomahawk. The cost of the Russian “Caliber” is classified, but taking into account their individual production, it exceeds the cost of a similar “Tomahawk” several times.

Sea-launched cruise missiles - auxiliary element to enhance the firepower of the Air Force. And they are not at all similar to the “miracle weapons” that have been circulated in the press, capable of wiping off all the bases and armies of a “potential enemy” from the earth in the blink of an eye.

Fact: as of 2016, the Russian Navy has 17 SLCM carriers of the Kalibr family. Among them:

Multi-purpose nuclear submarine K-560 “Severodvinsk” (project 885 “Ash”). In the middle part of the nuclear-powered ship there are eight SM-343 launch silos with four missile cells in each (total ammunition load is 32 “Caliber”).

Frigate pr. 22350 - “Admiral Gorshkov”. The ship's firing complex (UKSK) installed on it allows you to place 16 “Calibers” on board.

Three frigates pr. 11356: “Admiral Grigorovich”, “Admiral Essen” and “Admiral Makarov”. The ships are equipped with a UKSK module with eight cells for Caliber.

Patrol ship “Dagestan” (project 11661K). It has a similar UKSK module for eight cells.

Small rocket ships Ave. 21631 “Buyan-M”, five units. They all have the same UKSK module for eight cells.

Diesel-electric submarines project 636.3 (modernized “Varshavyanka”), six units of the project. They are armed with four SLCMs (launched through standard 533 mm torpedo tubes).

Total: 17 carrier ships with 144 Caliber missiles installed on them.

The second major operator of sea-launched cruise missiles is the US Navy. They have a much more impressive arsenal of SLCMs and their carriers. “Tomahawks” can be placed on board 85 surface combatants and 57 nuclear submarines.

All American cruisers and destroyers are equipped with universal launch cells - from 90 to 122 per ship (only the Zamvolts had their number reduced to 80). As practice shows, during strike and “punitive” operations, up to half of a ship’s launch silos can be given over to the placement of Tomahawks. However, during normal combat duty, the number of cruise missiles on board is small or non-existent. Most of the air defense station, as a rule, is empty due to the lack of adequate tasks and the desire of the command to reduce the number of incidents by reducing the number of “ dangerous toys” on board. The remaining silos are occupied by anti-aircraft missiles, space interceptors, and Asrok anti-submarine missile torpedoes.

The main method of placing “Axes” on American submarines is 12 vertical shafts in the bow of the Los Angeles and Virginia. Some of the outdated Loseys are capable of launching SLCMs horizontally through torpedo tubes.

The ammunition load of the Seawolf boats (8 TA, up to 50 naval ammunition, including the Tomahawk SLCM) is stored and used in a similar way.

Finally, the Ohio-class missile submarines. Four of the 18 SSBNs built under the START Treaty were converted into cruise missile carriers. There are seven Tomahawks in each of the 22 silos that previously housed Trident strategic missiles. The remaining two shafts were converted into airlock chambers for the exit of combat swimmers. Total: each special operations submarine can have 154 Axes on board. However, in practice everything is different: launch tubes are installed only in 14 shafts, the remaining eight are given over to the placement of diving equipment. The record salvo belongs to the Florida submarine, which launched 93 Tomahawks in one night (operation against Libya, 2011).

Due to the high unification of missiles and the possibility of their placement in any configuration, in accordance with the current situation and fleet tasks, it is impossible to establish the exact number of SLCMs on US Navy ships. From the presented facts it is clear that it can reach several thousand units.

Brief description of missiles

ZM-14 “Caliber” (the anti-ship version of the ZM-54 was not considered, since its design has little in common with the BD tactical cruise missile).

Length - from 7 to 8.2 meters.
Launch weight - according to various sources, from 1.77 to 2.3 tons.
Flight range - from 1.5 thousand in conventional to 2.5 thousand km in nuclear equipment (with a relatively light special warhead).
The mass of the high-explosive warhead is 450-500 kg.

Flight control and target targeting methods: during the cruising phase, the missile is controlled by an inertial system and also uses GPS/GLONASS satellite navigation data. Guidance is carried out at a radio-contrast ground target using the ARGS-14 radar homing head.

The first test launches from domestic ships - 2012. At the same time, export modifications of “Caliber” (Club) have been successfully supplied abroad since 2004.

BGM-109 TOMAHAWK

The original “Battle Ax” with a nuclear warhead was put into service in 1983. In 1986, its conventional analogue BGM-109C with a high-explosive warhead appeared, and from that moment the popularity of cruise missiles began to grow.

Below is data on the RGM/UGM-109E “Tactical Tomahawk” modification, which is the main modification of the SLCM in service with the US Navy. The main changes are aimed at reducing the cost of ammunition (missiles are not valuable, but consumables of war). Reduced weight, a body made of cheap plastic, a turbofan engine with a minimum resource, three fins instead of four, due to its “fragility” the rocket is no longer suitable for launching through a TA. In terms of accuracy and flexibility of use, the new missile, on the contrary, surpasses all previous versions. A two-way satellite communication channel allows the missile to be retargeted in flight. It became possible to fire only according to GPS coordinates (without the need to have photographic images and radio-contrast images of the target). Classic TERCOM (a navigation system that measures the height of the relief along the flight route) and DSMAC (optical and thermal sensors that determine the target by checking the data with the “picture” loaded into the missile’s memory) are supplemented with a TV camera for visual monitoring of the target’s condition.

Length - 6.25 m.
Launch weight - 1.5 tons.
Flight range - 1.6 thousand km.
The mass of the warhead is 340 kg.

Some conclusions from the above

1. Cruise missiles are not glorified “wonder weapons.” The destructive power of the CRBD is comparable to a 500 kg caliber aerial bomb. Is it possible to win a war by dropping just one or a few bombs on the enemy? Answer: of course not.

2. The ability to fire at targets deep in enemy territory is also not the prerogative of the CRBD. The Russian Aerospace Forces are armed with tactical air-launched cruise missiles with a flight range of 5 thousand km, which significantly exceeds the performance of any Caliber.

3. The INF Treaty, which Caliber fans refer to, is not worth a penny. Before you rejoice at how the ban on deploying cruise missiles with a flight range of over 500 km on land was circumvented, you need to think: is such a weapon necessary at all? This niche has long been firmly occupied by aviation: aircraft will “cover” any target, much faster and at a greater distance than the “Caliber” is capable of.

4. We will leave the stories about how five missile boats are hiding in the backwaters of the Volga and “holding at gunpoint” the whole of Europe on the conscience of journalists. Fussing with the RTO, which has only 8 cruise missiles out of serious armament, means one thing: USC is not capable of building a warship in the ocean zone, engaging in profanation and mastering the means of the GPV-2020. Such boats with “Caliber” mean nothing against the background of the power of the Russian aerospace forces.

5. Destruction of American missile defense facilities in Europe. Believe me, there are much more effective and effective ways than a handful of subsonic missiles that would take hours to crawl to Romania.

6. Taking into account the difference in the number of cruise missiles and their carriers, the ban on the placement of nuclear weapons on ships (with the exception of 14 strategic submarines) was an unconditional victory of Russian diplomacy over the American side.

7. Surface warships are built as platforms for placing anti-aircraft weapons. This is a fact. Look at the birth of the Aegis, Ticonderoga and domestic Orlan class cruisers. On the number of anti-aircraft missiles, radars and air defense systems on board.

The appearance of a missile cruiser is not determined by missile silos with Tomahawks. The main design feature of the Ticonderoga is a huge superstructure with octagonal SPY-1 radar antennas placed on its walls.

The launches of hundreds of Tomahawks are a tribute to the unified vertical launch system. Allowing you to take on board SLCMs instead of part of the anti-aircraft ammunition. But it is by no means a primary task for a large warship.

(Based on materials from the website rusvesna.ru)

The sea-based Tomahawk missile system includes cruise missiles with surface or underwater launch, launchers, missile fire control system and auxiliary equipment.
By the beginning of the 70s, the Soviet Navy had become the most modern technically and technologically and one of the most powerful navies in the world. New ships of the Soviet Navy: cruisers of the 58th project, destroyers of the 61st project, nuclear submarines of the 675th project, armed with long-range missile systems P-35 (launch range - 350 km), P-15 (85 km) and P -5D (500 km), respectively. The stunning “exterior” of the ships and their powerful missile weapons amazed the imagination and aroused the justified envy of NATO naval commanders. Most of the surface ships of their fleets were laid down during the Second World War. NATO surface ships, their diesel and nuclear submarines were armed artillery systems and torpedo weapons. By that time, such equipment of the naval forces looked like an absolute anachronism. The only exceptions were 41 SSBNs of the US Navy, which had an exclusively formal attachment to the fleet, and single examples of modern ships - the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Long Beach and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise.
In 1971, the leadership of the American Navy initiated a program to create a strategic cruise missile for nuclear submarines. At the initial stage, two options for cruise missiles (CR) were considered.
First option. This is a large 55-inch caliber missile launcher for Polaris UGM-27 missiles, which are being removed from service. This option provided for the adoption of a heavy long-range underwater launch missile - up to 3000 miles - and the placement of missiles on board ten SSBNs of the George Washington and Ethen Allen types in Polaris missile launchers. Thus, SSBNs became carriers of SSGN strategic cruise missiles.
Second option. Small 21-inch caliber missile with a flight range of up to 1,500 miles under 533-mm torpedo tubes of submarines.
In June 1972, the KR version for torpedo tubes was chosen. At the same time, the program received the name SLCM (Sea Launched Cruise Missile) - a sea-based cruise missile. In January, the two most promising projects were selected to participate in competitive testing. The first is from General Dynamics: the UBGM-109A missile, the second is from LTV: the UBGM-110A missile. In February 1976, testing of prototype missiles with submarines from an underwater position began. The BGM-109A missile was declared the winner of the competition at the initial stage of testing.
In March of the same year, the naval authorities decided that the SLCM should become the main operational-tactical and strategic weapon of surface ships. In March 1980, the first flight test of the BGM-109A missile took place, launched from the US Navy destroyer Merrill (DD-976). In June of the same year, successful flight tests of the boat version of the rocket took place. This event became significant in history missile weapons at sea: the world's first launch of a strategic missile from aboard the US Navy submarine Guitarro SSN-665. Intensive flight tests of BGM-109A missiles were carried out for three years, more than 100 missile tests were carried out. As a result, in March 1983, a US Navy public affairs representative announced: "The missile has reached operational capability and is recommended for service."
The BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile was created in two main versions: strategic (modifications A, C, D) - for firing at ground targets and tactical (modifications B, E) - for destroying surface ships. Their structural design and flight performance characteristics are identical. All options, due to the modular construction principle, differ from each other only in the head part.
Compound
The wing is made according to an aircraft design (monoplane), has a cylindrical body with an ogival fairing of the head part, a wing folding and recessed into the body in the central part and a cross-shaped stabilizer in the tail. The body is made of durable aluminum alloys, graphite-epoxy plastic and radio-transparent materials. To reduce radar signature, a special coating is applied to the body, wing and stabilizer.

The warhead of the Tomahawk BGM-109A strategic nuclear missile system is the W-80 warhead (weight 123 kg, length about 1 m, diameter 0.27 m and power 200 kt). Detonation is carried out by a contact fuse. The radius of the destruction zone is 3 km. The high firing accuracy and significant power of the nuclear warhead of the Tomahawk BGM-109A strategic missile system make it possible to hit highly protected small-sized targets with high efficiency. According to American experts, the probability of destroying a protected object that can withstand an overpressure of 70 kg/cm2 by one Tomahawk missile launcher is 0.85, and by a Poseidon-SZ SLBM is 0.10.
The strategic non-nuclear missile BGM-109C is equipped with a monoblock (semi-armor-piercing) warhead, and the BGM-109D is equipped with a cluster warhead, which includes up to 166 small-caliber BLU-97B bombs of combined action (each weighing 1.5 kg) in 24 bundles.
The control and guidance system of the Tomahawk missile launcher BGM-109 A/C/D is a combination of the following subsystems (see diagram):
inertial,
correlation along the terrain contour TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching),
electron-optical correlation DSMAC (Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator).
The inertial control subsystem operates during the initial and middle phases of the rocket's flight (mass 11 kg). It includes an on-board computer, an inertial platform and a barometric altimeter. The inertial platform consists of three gyroscopes for measuring the angular deviations of the rocket in the coordinate system and three accelerometers that determine the acceleration of these deviations. The subsystem provides determination of the missile launcher location with an accuracy of 0.8 km per 1 hour of flight.
The control and guidance system for strategic missiles with a conventional warhead BGM-109C and D includes an electro-optical correlation subsystem DSMAC, which can significantly improve firing accuracy (CEP - up to 10m). It uses digital images of previously filmed areas of the terrain along the flight route of the Kyrgyz Republic.

To store and launch Tomahawk missiles on SSNs, standard torpedo tubes (TA) or special vertical launch units (UVP) Mk45 are used (see diagram), and on surface ships, container-type launchers Mk143 are used (see diagram, photo 1, photo 2) or UVP Mk41. To store the boat version of the rocket, a steel capsule (weight 454 kg) filled with nitrogen under low pressure is used. This allows the missile to be kept ready for use for 30 months. The capsule with the missile is loaded into the TA or UVP like a regular torpedo.

The operating principle of the TERCOM and DSMAC navigation systems on the Tomahawk cruise missile
This is how the chief designer of the rocket, Robert Aldridge himself, a leading engineer at General Dynamics, described his product in the Nation magazine in the article “The Pentagon on the Warpath” dated March 27, 1982: “The strategic version of the rocket is designed to fly at a speed of 0. Mach 7 is the maximum possible range at an altitude of about 20,000 feet. This is considered a low speed for the missile, but it provides the greatest fuel economy and therefore increases the range. The inertial guidance system that controls the autopilot during flight is periodically adjusted to changing conditions using. sensor called TERCOM, TERCOM can follow a pre-programmed route with such accuracy, one might say, deadly, that the missile is capable of destroying targets, even highly protected ones and practically inaccessible to others. powerful missiles, for example, ICBMs (ed. Dave77777. Here the developer was clearly lying). When the missile reaches enemy territory, the guidance system places it at such a low altitude that it allows it to avoid radar detection, and even if the radar detects the target, the Tomahawk will look like a seagull on the screen (ed. Dave77777 "Chaika" Gas-13) . Within 50 miles of the target, the missile descends to an altitude of just 50 feet while increasing its speed to Mach 1.2 for the final throw."
The functioning of the missile system is as follows. Upon receiving an order to use missile weapons, the commander announces the alarm and puts the ship on high technical alert. Pre-launch preparation of the missile system begins, which takes about 20 minutes. When firing from a submarine on a submarine, sea water is fed into the tube of the device and through the holes enters the capsule with the missile launcher. At this moment, a device begins to operate in the rocket, creating excess pressure inside its body, approximately equal to the external one, which protects the missile body from deformation. The boat reaches the launch depth (30-60m) and reduces the speed to several knots. The data necessary for firing is entered into the control and guidance system of the missile system. Then the TA cover opens, the hydraulic ejection system of the missile launcher is activated, and the rocket is pushed out of the capsule. The latter is ejected from the TA tube some time after the rocket exits. The missile is connected to the container with a 12 m long halyard, when it ruptures (after 5 seconds of passing the underwater section of the trajectory), the safety stage is removed and the launch solid propellant rocket engine is turned on. As the water column passes, the pressure inside the body of the CR decreases to normal (atmospheric), and it emerges from under the water to the surface at an angle of 50°.
When firing from the Mk45 UVP, the silo cover opens, the missile ejection system is turned on, and the excess pressure created by the gas generator pushes the missile out of the silo. Upon exiting, it destroys the membrane of the capsule that held back the pressure of sea water, vertically emerges to the surface and, having made a turn, switches to the programmed flight path. 4-6 seconds after the launch vehicle emerges from under the water or after the end of operation of the launch solid propellant rocket motor, the tail thermal fairing is dropped with pyrotechnic charges and the rocket stabilizer is deployed. During this time, the Kyrgyz Republic reaches an altitude of 300-400m. Then, on the descending branch of the launch section, about 4 km long, the wing consoles open, the air intake extends, the launch solid propellant is fired using the pyrobolts, the main engine is turned on, and the missile launcher moves to the specified flight path (60 seconds after launch). The rocket's flight altitude is reduced to 15-60m, and its speed is reduced to 885km/h. The missile is controlled during its flight over the sea by an inertial control subsystem, which ensures that the missile launches into the first correction area (as a rule, it is several kilometers away from the shore). The size of this area depends on the accuracy of determining the location of the launch platform and the error of the inertial control subsystem of the launch vehicle, accumulated during the rocket's flight over the water surface.

Along with equipping ships with Tomahawk missile weapons, the United States is pursuing a large-scale program for the development and improvement of sea-launched cruise missiles, which provides for:
Increasing the firing range to 3-4 thousand km due to the development of more efficient engines and fuels, reducing weight and size characteristics. In particular, replacing the F-107 turbofan engine with its modification, according to American experts, gives an increase in thrust by 19 percent. and a reduction in fuel consumption by 3%. By replacing the existing turbofan engine with a propfan engine in combination with a special gas generator, the flight range will increase by 50% while maintaining the same weight and dimensions of the rocket.
improving target targeting accuracy up to several meters by equipping the missile system with receiving equipment of the NAVSTAR satellite navigation system and a laser locator. It includes an active forward-looking infrared sensor and a CO2 laser. The laser locator makes it possible to carry out selection of stationary targets, navigation support and speed correction.
increasing the launch depths of missile launchers from submarines when using a more powerful launch solid propellant rocket engine;
reducing the impact of air defense and missile defense systems during the combat use of cruise missiles. Reduce the impact of air defense systems and increase combat stability The missile launcher is expected to reduce its radar signature, increase the number of flight programs, and the possibility of quickly replacing or adjusting them during the missile’s flight. For this purpose, it is planned to use more productive computers and satellite communications.
Airborne tomahawks
Trying to reduce the cost of production of missile launchers, General Dynamics modernized the AGM-109 missile for use from air carriers. The rocket engine was modernized. The expensive inertial navigation system LN-35 was replaced by a strapdown integrated navigation system equipped with a set of laser gyroscopes. Air-launched makes unnecessary the launch booster needed to eject a missile from underwater or a missile silo. Navigation systems were moved to the rear of the rocket, freeing up space for a modular warhead.
AGM-109H air-launched AGM-109H medium-range cruise missile. This missile with a firing range of up to 550 km is designed to disable airfield runways. The missile is equipped with a cluster warhead containing 28 BLU-106/B small-caliber concrete-piercing ammunition. This ammunition, weighing about 19 kg, has a cylindrical body 110.5 cm long and 10 cm in diameter with a cross-shaped folding tail unit, which houses the warhead, solid propellant booster and braking parachute. The ammunition is fired in a direction perpendicular to the missile axis, sequentially upon command received from the on-board guidance system. The rate of shooting must be set in accordance with the altitude and speed of the missile's flight in order to inflict maximum damage on a concrete runway or aircraft shelters.
After shooting, the ammunition is slowed down by a parachute and oriented at an angle of about 60° relative to earth's surface. The parachute is then released and the ammunition is accelerated towards the target using a solid propellant booster. The warhead, containing 3 kg of explosive, has an armor-piercing tip. Due to the high kinetic energy, it pierces the concrete coating of the target, the ammunition penetrates inside it, after which the explosive charge is detonated. The foreign press notes that the BLU-106/B is very effective when operating both on runways and on reinforced concrete shelters for aircraft. The AGM-109H missile was to be carried by the B-52G and F-16, although the missile mount is also suitable for other types of US Air Force aircraft.
AGM-109L medium-range air-launched cruise missile. Designed to destroy ground and sea targets. The missile's navigation is distinguished by the presence of an infrared homing head, which is similar to that installed on the AGM 65D Maverick missile. The AGM-109L is equipped with a WDU-18/B high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 222 kg. The AGM-109L was to be carried by the A-6E deck attack aircraft.
AGM-109G ground-launched cruise missile. The missile was structurally made of separate functional modules, which included a combined control system, a nuclear warhead, fuel compartments, retractable wings, an F107-WR-400 sustainer turbofan engine, a tail unit and a solid propellant booster. The missile was placed in a sealed capsule with a burst protective diaphragm. The capsule was installed on a transport-launch unit (TLU), mounted on a semi-trailer and consisting of an armored container for four missiles. The M818 tractor from the MAN concern was used as a towing vehicle.


Combat use
large-scale military operation "Desert Storm" in 1991 against Iraq. From surface ships and submarines of the US Navy deployed in positions in the Mediterranean and Red Seas, as well as in the Persian Gulf, 288 Tomahawk missile launches were carried out, of which 261 were TLAM-C missiles, 27 were TLAM-D. 85 percent of them achieved their goals. In the last decade, the Tomahawk missile has become the main means of bombing strikes in all major operations conducted by the US Armed Forces: "Desert Fox" (Iraq, December 1998), "Allied Force" (Serbia, April-May 1999), " Unbending Freedom" (Afghanistan, October 2001), "Freedom for Iraq" (Iraq, March-April 2003). More than 2,000 sea- and air-launched Tomahawk missiles were expended during these operations.
RGM/UGM-109E Tac Tom Block 4 (tactical Tomahawk) - this modification of the missile - was offered to the fleet by Raytheon in 1998 as a cheap replacement for previous generation missiles. The main goal The Tac Tom program was a rocket that would cost significantly less to produce (by about half) than the modern TLAM-C/D Block 3. The rocket body, including the aerodynamic surfaces, is almost entirely made of carbon fiber materials. The number of stabilizer feathers has been reduced from four to three. The rocket is powered by a cheaper Williams F415-WR-400/402 turbofan engine. The disadvantage of the new missile is the inability to fire the missile through a torpedo tube, only from special vertical launchers Mk 45 PL. The guidance system has new capabilities for target identification and in-flight retargeting. The missile can be reprogrammed in-flight via UHF satellite communications to target any 15 predetermined additional targets. It is technically possible for the missile to loiter in the area of ​​the intended target for 3.5 hours at a distance of 400 km from the launch point until receiving a command to hit the target, or to use the missile as a UAV for additional reconnaissance of an already hit target. The Navy's total order for the new missile between 2003 and 2008 was 1,353 units. The Tactical Tomahawk Block 4 SLCM began entering service with the US Navy in 2004. A total of 2,200 SLCMs of this type are planned to be purchased.

CHARACTERISTICS

Firing range, km
BGM-109A when launched from a surface ship	2500
BGM-109С/D when launched from a surface ship	1250
BGM-109С/D when launched from a submarine	900
Maximum flight speed, km/h	1200
Average flight speed, km/h	885
Rocket length, m	6.25
Rocket body diameter, m	0.53
Wingspan, m	2.62
Starting weight, kg
BGM-109A	1450
BGM-109С/D	1500
Warhead
BGM-109A	nuclear
BGM-109С	semi-armor-piercing - 120kg
BGM-109D	cassette - 120kg
F-107 main engine
Fuel	RJ-4
Fuel mass, kg	550
Dry engine weight, kg	64
Thrust, kg	272
Length, mm	940
Diameter, mm	305

Sources

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 Navy The United States has 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 range of up to 1,500 miles (2,500 km).

On June 2, 1972, a lighter option for torpedo tubes was chosen, and in November of the same year, contracts were issued to industry 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 the 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 base. 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 launcher, which was almost ready to go 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 environments 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 means 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 destroyers of the Arleigh Burke class 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)

They will rain fire from the sky. Like a gust of “divine wind” sweeping away 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 rocket warhead is 340 kg. There are a dozen various options Warheads for various types of targets: cluster, armor-piercing, semi-armor-piercing, “regular” 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 runway, set fire to the 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 clear: the experience of local wars over the past 20 years has demonstrated a 10-fold increase in the role of sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs). 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” the victim into Stone Age, destroy the air defense system and disorganize 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, fragments of American missiles were found even on Iranian territory - some of the Axes veered off 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 methods of targeting SLCMs. The Tomahawk navigates the terrain autonomously: it does not require 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, populated areas). The route is laid in such a way as to avoid open water spaces (lakes, estuaries of large rivers, etc.) on the missile's path - otherwise, this can lead to critical failures in the missile's navigation system.

All this creates for the Yankees such a problem as the “predictability” of their missile strikes and, as a result, an increase in losses among fired missiles. 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 James Cameron's 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 available high-quality images“targets”, 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! Doesn't 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. Just 22 missile silos the ship accommodates 154 Tomahawks + 2 shafts 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.

Intercepting an Ax by air is no less difficult - the small size and EPR of the missile make “hunting Tomahawks” 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 ESR of 1 square. meter flying at an altitude of 60 meters is produced 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

You don’t need to be smart enough 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. The Tomahawk cruise missile 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" - clean 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, in the presence of 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 objects 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 meaning.

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 weapons, incl. "Tomahawks" with SBCh

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

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 examples of modern types of 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, a legendary weapon of the 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 became 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. Subsequently, it took over one million dollars to fine-tune the prototype.

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 aircraft strategic aviation The US Air Force, therefore, initially created modifications of cruise missiles 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;
• Tomahawk Block I BGM-109B TASM anti-ship missile 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 characteristics of this type of weapon. characteristic features. 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 rocket and the basing option. Typically, nuclear-tipped cruise missiles had a longer range. Tactical modifications were capable of flying shorter distances. The summarized tactical and technical characteristics for Tomahawk cruise missiles are as follows:

• flight range for ground (surface) launch missiles 1250 - 2500 km;
• flight range of missiles (underwater launch) based on submarines is 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.

During the development process 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 stealthiness 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 of the invulnerability of cruise missiles to ground-based air defense systems was the conflict in Yugoslavia. 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 fighter aircraft fire. 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 missiles 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. When developing a new cruise missile, the Americans planned to arm the bulk of their navy. 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 equipped strategic forces USA, on ships of the US Navy and Air Force, unlike previous modifications, it 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 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. Designed rockets technical capabilities allow you to quickly change the technical parameters of the design, improving the tactical and technical characteristics of each new modification.