History of Tomahawk missile in Timeline

The BGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is a long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile. It is used by the United States Navy, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy for land-attack operations from ships and submarines. It is an American invention.

1964: Fingerprint Technology Developed

In 1964, "Fingerprint" technology was developed for the SLAM. TERCOM was based on, and was a significant improvement on this technology.

January 1981: Tomahawk Block II Testing Begins

In January 1981, testing began for the Tomahawk Block II variants, continuing until October 1983.

October 1983: Tomahawk Block II Testing Ends

In October 1983, testing for the Tomahawk Block II variants ended after starting in January 1981.

1983: Early Tomahawk Missile Tests

In 1983, early tests of the Tomahawk missile began, continuing until 1993. These tests involved approximately 23 cruise missiles being tested over northern Canada as part of the "Canada-U.S. Test and Evaluation Program".

1984: Tomahawk Block II Deployment

In 1984, the Tomahawk Block II variants were deployed, featuring improvements such as an improved booster rocket, cruise missile radar altimeter, and navigation through the Digital Scene Matching Area Corellator (DSMAC).

1987: Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

In 1987, BGM-109G Gryphon Ground Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCM) and their launch vehicles were withdrawn from service in Europe to comply with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

1987: Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty)

In 1987, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) was established, leading to the dismantling or withdrawal of nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and missile launchers with specified ranges from Europe by June 1, 1991.

June 1991: Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty deadline

To comply with the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), all nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and missile launchers with ranges of 310 to 620 miles (500 to 1,000 km) (short to medium-range) and 620 to 3,420 miles (1,000 to 5,500 km) (intermediate-range) were dismantled or withdrawn from Europe by the treaty's deadline of 1 June 1991.

1992: McDonnell Douglas Sole Supplier

In 1992, McDonnell Douglas became the sole supplier of Tomahawk missiles, producing Block II and Block III versions. Hughes Aircraft purchased General Dynamics' missile division that same year.

1993: Block III TLAMs Enter Service

In 1993, the Block III TLAMs entered service, featuring turbofan engines for extended range and GPS receivers for improved accuracy. These TLAMs also retained the Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC) II navigation system, offering multiple navigation modes.

1993: Tomahawk Block III Introduced

In 1993, the Tomahawk Block III was introduced, adding time-of-arrival control, improved accuracy for Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator (DSMAC) and jam-resistant GPS, a smaller, lighter WDU-36 warhead, engine improvements, and an extended missile range.

1993: Early Tomahawk Missile Tests Completed

In 1993, the early tests of the Tomahawk missile were completed. These tests, which began in 1983, involved approximately 23 cruise missiles being tested over northern Canada as part of the "Canada-U.S. Test and Evaluation Program".

1994: Hughes Aircraft Becomes Sole Supplier

In 1994, Hughes Aircraft outbid McDonnell Douglas to become the sole supplier of Tomahawk missiles, after purchasing General Dynamics' missile division in 1992.

1995: Hughes and Raytheon Joint Venture

In 1995, a joint venture between Hughes and Raytheon began manufacturing the Tomahawk missile.

1995: US Agrees to Sell Tomahawks to UK

In 1995, the US agreed to sell 65 Tomahawk missiles to the UK for torpedo-launch from their nuclear attack submarines.

1997: Raytheon Acquires Hughes

In 1997, Raytheon acquired Hughes, solidifying their position as the sole supplier of Tomahawk missiles.

November 1998: UK Acquires and Test-Fires Tomahawks

In November 1998, the first Tomahawk missiles were acquired and test-fired by the UK.

1999: HMS Splendid Fires Tomahawk in Combat

In 1999, during the Kosovo War, the Swiftsure-class HMS Splendid became the first British submarine to fire the Tomahawk in combat. The UK subsequently bought 20 more Block III to replenish stocks.

2000: US denies Tomahawk sale to Israel

In 2000, the US government refused an Israeli request to purchase Tomahawk SLCMs because of international Missile Technology Control Regime proliferation rules.

2002: Spain expresses initial interest in Tomahawk system

In 2002, Spain expressed initial interest in acquiring the Tomahawk system.

2003: Royal Navy Fires Tomahawks in Operation Telic

In 2003, the Royal Navy fired Tomahawk missiles during Operation Telic as the British contribution to the Iraq War.

April 2004: UK and US agreement for Tomahawk purchase

In April 2004, the UK and US governments reached an agreement for the British to buy 64 of the new generation of Tomahawk missile—the Block IV or TacTom missile.

2004: Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System Enters Service

In late 2004, the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS) entered service with the US Navy. TTWCS allows commanders to redirect the missile to alternative targets and provides the capability for limited mission planning on board the firing unit (FRU).

2005: Spain shows continued interest in Tomahawk system

In 2005, Spain showed continued interest in acquiring the Tomahawk system.

2005: Initial interest and planning by Dutch Ministry of Defence

In 2005, the Dutch Ministry of Defence expressed initial interest and began planning for the acquisition of Tomahawk missiles.

2006: Tomahawk Block IV Introduced

In 2006, Tomahawk Block IV was introduced, adding the strike controller, which can change the missile in flight to one of 15 preprogrammed alternate targets or redirect it to a new target. Block IV also has an improved anti-jam GPS receiver.

March 2008: Tomahawk missile enters service with Royal Navy

On 27 March 2008, the Tomahawk missile Block IV entered service with the Royal Navy, three months ahead of schedule.

2009: Spain cancels Tomahawk system order

In 2009, Spain cancelled its order for the Tomahawk system.

August 2010: Navy Completes First Live Test of JMEWS

On 16 August 2010, the Navy completed the first live test of the Joint Multi-Effects Warhead System (JMEWS), a new warhead designed to give the Tomahawk enhanced penetration and blast-fragmentation capabilities. In the static test, the warhead detonated and created a hole large enough for the follow-through element to completely penetrate the concrete target.

2011: Tomahawk missile costs in British books

As of 2011, the Block III Tomahawk missiles were on British books at £1.1m and the Block IV at £0.87m including VAT.

2011: Royal Navy Fires Tomahawks in Operation Ellamy

In 2011, the Royal Navy fired Tomahawk missiles during Operation Ellamy in Libya.

2012: USN Studies AARGM Technology Application

In 2012, the USN studied applying Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) technology into the Tactical Tomahawk.

February 2014: US Central Command Sponsors JMEWS Development and Testing

In February 2014, US Central Command sponsored development and testing of the JMEWS, analyzing the ability of the programmable warhead to integrate onto the Block IV Tomahawk, giving the missile bunker buster effects to better penetrate hardened structures.

July 2014: US approves sale of Tomahawk missiles to UK

In July 2014, the US approved the sale to the UK of a further 65 submarine-launched Block IV Tomahawk missiles at a cost of US$140m including spares and support.

2014: Raytheon Tests Block IV Improvements

In 2014, Raytheon began testing Block IV improvements to attack sea and moving land targets. The new passive radar seeker will pick up the electromagnetic radar signature of a target and follow it, and actively send out a signal to bounce off potential targets before impact to discriminate its legitimacy before impact.

October 2015: Tomahawk Demonstrates New Capabilities in Test Launch

In October 2015, Raytheon announced the Tomahawk demonstrated new capabilities in a test launch, using its onboard camera to take a reconnaissance photo and transmit it to fleet headquarters. It then entered a loitering pattern until given new targeting coordinates to strike.

2015: Poland expresses interest in Tomahawk missiles

In 2015, Poland expressed interest in purchasing long-range Tomahawk missiles for its future submarines.

January 2016: Los Alamos National Laboratory Working on Fuel Air Explosive

By January 2016, Los Alamos National Laboratory was working on a project to turn unburned fuel left over when a Tomahawk reaches its target into an additional explosive force, effectively creating a fuel air explosive.

2016: US DoD Purchases Tomahawk Missiles

In 2016, the US Department of Defense purchased 149 Tomahawk Block IV missiles for $202.3 million.

August 2019: US Navy Conducts Test Flight of Ground-Launched Tomahawk

On 18 August 2019, the United States Navy conducted a test flight of a Tomahawk missile launched from a ground-based version of the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System. It was the United States' first acknowledged launch of a missile that would have violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, from which the Trump administration withdrew on 2 August.

November 2020: US Army Selects Tomahawk for Mid-Range Capability

In November 2020, the United States Army selected the Tomahawk to fulfill its Mid-Range Capability (MRC), giving it a land-based long-range missile capable of striking ground and sea targets. The Army plans to use the Tomahawk alongside a ground-based SM-6.

2020: Los Alamos Using Corn Ethanol for Tomahawk Fuel

In 2020, Los Alamos National Laboratory reported that it would use corn ethanol to produce domestic fuel for Tomahawk missiles, which also does not require harsh acids to manufacture, compared to petroleum-based JP-10.

March 2021: Tomahawk Block V Introduced

In March 2021, Tomahawk Block V was introduced with improvements to navigation and in-flight targeting. The initial batch of Block V was delivered. Block Va, the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST), and Block Vb outfitted with the JMEWS warhead were scheduled to be released after the initial delivery.

September 2021: Australia to acquire Tomahawk missiles

In September 2021, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australia would acquire Tomahawks for the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) Hobart-class air warfare destroyers.

2021: Maritime Attack Capability Block IV TLAMs Scheduled to Enter Service

In 2021, the first Block IV TLAMs modified with a maritime attack capability were scheduled to enter service.

May 2022: Defense Department Announces Tomahawk Missile Contract

In May 2022, the Defense Department announced a contract to buy Tomahawk missiles for the Navy, the Army, and the Marine Corps.

June 2022: UK announces Tomahawk cruise missile upgrade

In June 2022, the UK announced it would be upgrading its Tomahawk cruise missiles to Block V standard through a £265 million contract with the US government.

2022: Plans for acquiring long-range weapons for Royal Netherlands Navy announced

In 2022, plans for acquiring long-range and precision-guided weapon systems for the frigates and submarines of The Royal Netherlands Navy were announced as part of the Strategic Defence Review 2022, and the Tomahawk missile was identified.

March 2023: US approves Tomahawk missile sale to Australia

In March 2023, the US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale to Australia of up 200 Block V and up to 20 Block IV Tomahawk missiles worth an estimated US$895 million.

March 2023: Maritime strike capability project approved for Netherlands Navy

In March 2023, the commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy announced that the project to acquire maritime strike capability had been approved by the Ministry of Defence, and would include both the De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates and the Walrus-class submarines. The Tomahawk missile was confirmed as the frigates and submarines are equipped with US-standard Mark 41 Vertical Launching System, and torpedo tubes suited for launching UGM-109 Tomahawk respectively.

April 2023: Netherlands Ministry of Defence announces Tomahawk procurement

In April 2023, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence announced the procurement of Tomahawk missiles.

November 2023: US approves Tomahawk missile sale to Japan

On 17 November 2023, the US Defense Security and Cooperation Agency announced that the US State Department had approved a possible sale of up to 200 RGM-109E Tomahawk Block IV and up to 200 RGM-109E Tomahawk Block V LACMs to Japan for an estimated US$2.35 billion.

2023: Netherlands confirms ordering Tomahawk missiles

In 2023, the Dutch Ministry of Defence confirmed ordering the ship-launched and submarine-launched versions of the Tomahawk missile to be installed on both existing as well as future frigates & submarines.

2023: Army Plans to Field Tomahawk

The Army plans to use the Tomahawk alongside a ground-based SM-6 and field them by late 2023.

January 2024: US approves sale of support equipment to Australia

In January 2024, the US State Department approved the sale of support equipment worth US$250 million for Tomahawk missiles to Australia.

July 2024: US and Germany announce long-range fires units deployments

On 10 July 2024, a joint statement of the US and Germany was released, announcing the beginning of episodic deployments of long-range fires units with conventional warheads, including Typhon missile launchers with SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles. On 28 July 2024, Putin warned of a Cold War-style missile crisis and threatened to deploy long-range missiles within striking distance of the West after the United States announced its intention to deploy long-range missiles in Germany. Critics say the United States' move would trigger a new arms race.

December 2024: Australia successfully fires first Tomahawk missile

In December 2024, Australia's Minister for Defence announced that the RAN had successfully fired its first ever Tomahawk missile from HMAS Brisbane (DDG 41), a Hobart-class air warfare destroyer, making Australia the third nation to acquire and fire the weapon.

2024: Raytheon Sole Manufacturer

As of 2024, Raytheon remains the sole manufacturer of non-nuclear, sea-launched Tomahawk variants.

2024: Tomahawk cruise missiles upgrade starts

The upgrade of the UK's Tomahawk cruise missiles to Block V standard is scheduled to start in 2024.

March 2025: HNLMS De Ruyter launches Tomahawk missile for the first time

On 11 March 2025, the air defense and command frigate HNLMS De Ruyter launched a Tomahawk missile for the first time off the coast of Norfolk, United States. It was the first time a Dutch naval ship fired this type of missile.

2025: Maritime Strike Tomahawk Operational on Destroyers

In 2025, a spokesperson for the U.S. Navy's Tomahawk program announced that the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST) would be operational on destroyers by the end of September, with deployment to attack submarines to follow in FY26. All Block IV Tomahawks will be converted to Block V standard, while the remaining Block III missiles will be retired and demilitarized.

2026: Deployment of long-range fires units starts

Deployment of long-range fires units with conventional warheads will start from 2026, including Typhon missile launchers with SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles.

2026: Tomahawk missile deployment in Japan

The Tomahawk missiles purchased by Japan are expected to be deployed in fiscal year 2026-27 and will serve as a bridge until the deployment of indigenous missiles.