TOMAHAWK

Abstract

The Tomahawk Weapons System (TWS), formally referred to as Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM), provides a long range cruise missile attack capability against fixed and mobile targets. This program ensures that the TWS exploits state of the art technology to preserve the efficiency of this proven weapon system, and includes all missile development, mission planning, weapons control system development, and submarine integration development. The Tactical Tomahawk All-Up-Round (AUR) Block IV missile is a comprehensive baseline upgrade to the TWS that provides the tactical commander a quick reaction response capability as well as improved flexibility, increased accuracy and higher lethality. A five-year multi-year (FY 2004 - FY 2008) production contract was awarded in August 2004 for the production of up to 2,200 Block IV Tomahawk missiles. The essential upgrades of the Block IV missile are: improved guidance, navigation, control and mission computer two-way satellite communications (SATCOM), and a lower production cost as compared to the Block III missile. Block IV provides a Ultra High Frequency SATCOM data link to enable the missile to receive in-flight mission modification messages, to transfer health and status messages and to broadcast Battle Damage Indication messages. Block IV also includes a high anti-jam Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, navigation improvements, and associated antenna systems. The Tomahawk program also includes development of continuing advances identified under the Tomahawk Baseline IV Operational Requirements Document (ORD), to include development of advanced warheads. Tactical Tomahawk baseline improvements include the following: 1) Anti-Access / Area Denial (A2AD) upgrades to navigation and communication of the weapon system. These updates will allow for planned missions using Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM)/ Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC)/ Vertical Update (VUP) without GPS and continued communication of the Tactical Tomahawk AUR to provide Health and Status and to allow missile redirection in-flight respectively. 2) Maritime Strike Tomahawk modernization effort provides the capability to hit moving maritime targets through mid-course guidance via a third party or seeker mode, to a terminal seeker area of uncertainty 3) M-Code upgrades the Tactical Tomahawk to the next generation GPS satellite constellation required to maintain GPS-provided position, navigation, and timing (PNT) for the missiles and is estimated to be in full operation by FY 2022. The M-code mandate and Public Law restrict the purchase of only M-code-capable GPS User Equipment (MGUE) after FY 2017 unless a waiver is granted by the Secretary of Defense. 4) The design and integration of the Joint Multiple-Effects Warhead System (JMEWS) enables the weapon to utilize multiple lethal effects to address Hard and Deeply Buried Targets (HDBT) while increasing the TWS capabilities against Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS) and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). The Theater Mission Planning Center (TMPC) consists of Commercial and Government Off-The-Shelf (COTS/GOTS) software and COTS hardware. TMPC provides targeting, mission planning, strike planning and execution, mission distribution, and operational employment capabilities for the Tomahawk Weapons System. Continuous TMPC software development decreases mission planning time and increases the quality and accuracy of each mission while reducing complexity. TMPC provides mission planning at the theater and operational levels and is designed for high rate mission planning production responsive to national strategic, operational, and tactical requirements. TMPC develops and distributes missions for all variants of the Tomahawk Missile; provides command information services for TWS; provides strike planning, execution, coordination, control and reporting, and provides Maritime Component Commanders (MCC) the capability to plan or modify conventional Tomahawk BLK III missions. TMPC has evolved into scalable configurations deployed in four configurations at 186 sites: Cruise Missile Support Activities (CMSAs) (3+1 FMS), Tomahawk Strike Mission Planning Cells (TSMPCs) (3 - C5F, C6F, C7F), Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs) (19 - 10 CVN), Firing Units (FRUs) (84 Surface/57 Submarines), Fleet Training Sites and Labs (19). TMPC is employed in major combat operations and Overseas Contingency Operations. TMPC was previously referred to as "Tomahawk Command and Control System (TC2S)". The Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS) provides launch capability for surface and submarine platforms. Development of the TTWCS provides a common architecture to launch the TACTOM and all variants in inventory. Development of upgrades to the TTWCS is required to meet the Department of Defense Information Technology Standards Registry, to meet FORCEnet compliance and be Internet Protocol Version 6 ready in order to remain interoperable within the Joint Service Architecture and to retain weapons system viability and usability for our Sailors. Additionally, TTWCS provides launch capability for both types of modernization efforts, A2AD (Nav/Comms) and Maritime, through an incremental approach to software and hardware upgrades. These efforts provide battle-group tactical flexibility and responsiveness while maximizing TWS wartime capability.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2018
• Source ID: 0545_0204229N_7_1319_PB_2018

Tags

Readers

• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space
• Space - Satellites