Tomahawk’s moving target capability tested
Raytheon and the US Navy have successfully tested the moving target capability of the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile, the company announced on 11 February.
Two flight tests were conducted on 27 and 28 January. In the first test, the Tomahawk was fired and synthetically guided to hit a mobile ship target. In the second test, a second Tomahawk was fired on a call-for-fire mission to demonstrate its reduced mission planning time.
For the first test, the missile was fired from the destroyer USS Kidd with a pre-planned mission. A surveillance aircraft then sent real-time target information to the Joint Network Enabled Weapons Mission Management Capability (JNEW-MMC) at the weapons division of the naval air warfare centre, China Lake.
The JNEW-MMC then sent the updated target information to the missile before it struck the target. This demonstration is the first step in evolving the Tomahawk missile with improved network capability and extending its reach to moving targets.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![RTX confirms US Marine Corps and US Navy acquire Hadalus UUV]()
RTX confirms US Marine Corps and US Navy acquire Hadalus UUV
RTX told Shephard that the Hadalus UUV has been procured by the US Marine Corps and the Office of Naval Research for operational experimentation as the company prepares additional demonstrations with the US Navy, NATO and AUKUS partners.
-
![Europe’s naval contractors benefit from growing refit and upgrade demand]()
Europe’s naval contractors benefit from growing refit and upgrade demand
Rheinmetall’s order to modernise the German Navy frigate Bayern points to a wider European shift towards extending warship service life as new-build programmes face delay.
-
![The UK joins the movement towards joint procurement]()
The UK joins the movement towards joint procurement
The UK will spend an estimated US$3.89 billion over the next decade in joint naval programmes, a lot of which will be in cooperation with Norway.
-
![Rheinmetall’s GMF 140: Ambitious frigate or market misfit?]()
Rheinmetall’s GMF 140: Ambitious frigate or market misfit?
Rheinmetall has unveiled its first next-generation frigate design, showing ambitions to compete as a surface combatant prime contractor. While the company is targeting North America, analysts believe the concept may be better positioned for future European programmes.
-
![US Navy $76.6bn award provides stability for submarine production]()
US Navy $76.6bn award provides stability for submarine production
The US Department of War’s US$76.6 billion Columbia-and Virginia-class submarine contract gives industry demand certainty as Washington seeks to rebuild its shipbuilding base.
-
![Dreadnought Phase 4 opens £2.5 billion supply chain opportunity]()
Dreadnought Phase 4 opens £2.5 billion supply chain opportunity
The UK government’s £8.4 billion Dreadnought Phase 4 investment sets aside £2.5 billion for the wider submarine supply chain, opening new work beyond BAE Systems’ prime contract.
