British Tomahawk cruise missiles continue to be modernised

Raytheon has been awarded a $32,265,090 contract to procure long-lead hardware for the recertification and modernisation of 257 Tomahawk Block IV All-Up-Round Missiles, including 218 for the U.S. Navy and 39 for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, with the UK being the only customer that has existing Tomahawks to be rebuilt to Block V specifications.

This effort aims to extend the missile’s operational life for up to an additional 15 years.

“This modification increases the contract ceiling to procure long-lead hardware for recertification and modernisation of 256 Tomahawk Block IV All-Up-Round Missiles, to include 218 for the Navy and 39 for Foreign Military Sales customers in support of enabling the missiles to be operational for up to an additional 15 years of service.”

The modification also includes the procurement of 24 Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST) missile vertical launch systems and 11 MST missile capsule launch systems for the U.S. Navy. Non-recurring engineering support will facilitate the transition of MST missiles to production.

“Additionally, this modification procures 24 Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST) missile vertical launch systems and 11 MST missile capsule launch systems for the Navy, as well as provides non-recurring engineering in support of the MST missile transition to production.”

The contract is set to be carried out across multiple locations, including El Segundo, California (43%), Tucson, Arizona (31.9%), Pontiac, Michigan (19.5%), Los Alamitos, California (3.2%), and Chandler, Arizona (2.4%). Work is expected to be completed by November 2026.

This contract is part of the UK’s ongoing efforts to enhance its missile systems, particularly in the context of modernising its current arsenal to meet evolving needs.

A first batch of 24 was contracted in March 2024, and the new modification covers items for a further 39 missiles, with at least one more batch of missiles expected to follow in time.

The Block V variant of the Tomahawk missile represents a significant upgrade to the existing fleet of Block IV missiles, offering improved performance, greater precision, and extended range. Key enhancements include a new guidance system, improved propulsion for better range, and a larger payload capacity.