“The combat-proven Tomahawk is unmatched in its capability. Raytheon and the U.S. Navy are working together to enhance Tomahawk and provide the warfighter with even more options in the battlespace,” said Mike Jarrett, Raytheon Air Warfare Systems Vice President.
In the first test, a Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile fired from the destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) flew a pre-planned mission until a surveillance aircraft sent real-time target information to the Joint Network Enabled Weapons Mission Management Capability (JNEW-MMC) located at Naval Air Warfare Center – Weapons Division (NAWC-WD), China Lake. The JNEW-MMC provided updated data to the missile in flight before it successfully struck the MST. This demonstration is the first step toward evolving Tomahawk with improved network capability and extends its reach from fixed and mobile to moving targets.
This flight test was the culmination of a collaborative effort between the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division and Raytheon Missile Systems.
In the second test, the USS Kidd (DDG 100) launched another Tomahawk Block IV missile on a "call-for-fire" mission in support of shore-based Marines staged on San Nicolas Island.
Using GPS navigational updates, the missile performed a vertical dive to impact on San Nicolas Island, scoring a direct hit on the target designated by the Marines. The test provided valuable data for the Marine Expeditionary Force to evaluate and evolve their call for fire capability.
The U.S. Navy has conducted more than 70 successful Tomahawk Block IV flight tests since 2006. The cruise missile has been employed in combat more than 2000 times since it was introduced. Tomahawk is the key weapon used by U.S. and British forces in defeating integrated air defense systems and striking high value fixed and mobile targets in support of national policy.
