storm shadow cruise missile vs tomahawk

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The US Navy has an upgraded Tomahawk: Here’s 5 things you should know

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy test-fired its new Block V Tomahawk from the destroyer Chafee in December, introducing the newest generation of the venerable Tomahawk cruise missile to its arsenal.

The modifications are designed to bring the sub-sonic cruise missile into the era of great power competition . Why is this Tomahawk different from all other Tomahawks, and can this old Cold Warrior keep up in the era of hypersonic missiles?

Here’s five things to know about the Block V:

1. Increased capabilities. Raytheon’s Tomahawk Block V, when fully realized in its Block Va and Block Vb varieties, will be expected to hit surface ships at Tomahawk ranges – in excess of 1,000 miles – with the integration of a new seeker. It also will integrate a new warhead that will have a broader range of capabilities, including greater penetrating power.

Tomahawk’s range is especially important in the Asia-Pacific, where China’s rocket force has extraordinary reach with its DF-26 and DF-21 missiles, with ranges of 2,490 and 1,335 miles respectively, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The missiles are destined not just for the VLS launchers of surface ships but also on attack submarines . Read more here:

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2. More survivable. The first iteration of the Block V upgrades the missile’s communication and navigation systems. This is about making it tougher to counter and detect electronically, said Bryan Clark, a retired submarine officer and senior fellow at The Hudson Institute.

“It has greater electronic hardening to be able to work through jamming more effectively,” Clark said. “The hardening and the electronic countermeasures they’ve put into it make it harder to find and target with radar, and that improves its survivability.

“They’ve incorporated a lot of survivability into Tomahawk over the years, this takes it a step further to make it less susceptible to jamming of its seeker or its communications. But it could, perhaps, also counter enemy radar that might be used to target it and shoot it down.”

In 2017, Raytheon’s Tomahawk program manager told reporters at an event at the missile plant in Tucson, Ariz., that the navigation system upgrades will ensure the missile can strike targets even if GPS is taken down .

3. Subsonic is a feature, not a bug. With all the emphasis on supersonic and hypersonic missiles and with the improvements in air defenses, that might make Tomahawk seem like a fuddy-duddy by comparison.

But there are good reasons to keep producing the Tomahawk, even with its slower speeds.

“The benefit of the sub-sonic missile is range,” Clark said. “Being sub-sonic means its also able to travel at a more fuel-efficient speed. So, the fact that the Tomahawk can travel more than 1,000 miles is a function of the sub-sonic speed. To get that kind of range out of a super-sonic missile you’d need something much larger.”

4. It’s cheap. Well, relatively so. The missile has been able to stay at the $1 million price range, which is on the low end for missiles. Raytheon’s supersonic SM-6 can reach speeds of Mach 3.5 – with future iterations believed to be capable of reaching hypersonic speeds – but cost more than four times as much per shot and have less range. That’s the Tomahawk’s key differentiator, said Jerry Hendrix, a retired Navy captain and analyst with Telemus Group.

“The key capability of Tomahawk is the cost.” Hendrix said. “It can be purchased in larger quantities and you can afford to lose some to defensive capabilities even as you penetrate. That’s one of the reasons why Tomahawk is going to be in the inventory for a while to come, even as it brings back that longer-range anti-ship capability that we’ve been missing for some time.”

Tom Karako, an expert in missile technology with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, agreed that cost is a big advantage of Tomahawk, especially for low-end missions.

“As long as they can keep them to about a million dollars per shot, the Navy is going to want those all day long,” Karako said. “The next time the President says to the Navy, ‘Hey, go schwack this terrorist training camp,’ they’re going to want Tomahawks.”

5. It’s all in the mix. The key to thinking about a sub-sonic cruise missile is understanding how it fits into a mix of weapons, Karako said. Not everything is going to be hypersonic or even supersonic, nor does it have to be, he argued, but the cost per salvo make it attractive as part of a varied and complex threat to present an adversary.

“The question is, ‘What’s the going to be the mix between hypersonic things and things that are supersonic and subsonic?’,” he said. “That, I think, is the right question. As long as you have standoff, subsonic and supersonic are going to be part of the equation.”

“Even for the high-end fight, I don’t think the hypersonic stuff will fully replace sub-sonic stuff. It might just mean you shoot your sub-sonic stuff earlier, let them fly for a while and everything arrives at the same time as part of how you structure an attack.”

Clark, the Hudson analyst, agreed that the mix was important, saying that even with the arrival of faster missiles, the Tomahawk has a place.

The combination of the SM-6, which has a surface strike mode, the new 100-plus-mile ranged anti-ship Naval Strike Missile bound for the littoral combat ships and next-generation frigate, and the Block V upgrades on Tomahawk, will give the Navy’s venerable birds a place in the service’s vertical launch system cells for some time to come, Clark said.

“Between Tomahawk Block V, the SM-6 and the NSM, the Navy has a collection of attack weapons that they are happy with,” he said, adding that a long-running effort to develop a next-generation land-attack weapon has lost some of its urgency.

The development of hypersonic missiles could, however, push out the Tomahawk down the road as the technology gets more advanced and of a size compatible with the Navy’s ubiquitous Mark 41 VLS launcher.

“What’s happening in parallel is in the development of hypersonic missile that are a smaller form factor than the boost-glide weapons that are coming to maturity now,” Clark said. “And if they can get it down to being able to fit in [the Mark 41], then that could provide the Navy a next-generation capability that is more survivable and has a shorter time of flight.

“So I think this combination of missiles the Navy has now, combined with the fact that the hypersonic weapons are coming along a little further out, means the Navy is going to stick with what it has potentially even longer than it had originally anticipated.”

David B. Larter was the naval warfare reporter for Defense News.

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Storm Shadow Missile Vs Tomahawk! Which Reigns Supreme?

The Storm Shadow and Tomahawk missiles, both long-range, subsonic cruise missiles, offer formidable capabilities in modern warfare. The Storm Shadow, developed by a European consortium led by MBDA, entered service in 2003. With a range of over 250 miles and a payload capacity of up to 1,000 pounds, it employs terrain-following guidance for low-altitude stealth flight.

In contrast, the Tomahawk, an American missile, developed by Raytheon and in service since the early 1980s, has a range of up to 1,500 miles and a payload capacity of 1,000 pounds. It utilizes various guidance systems, including terrain following, infrared, and GPS. The Storm Shadow emphasizes precision with its TERPROM system, while the Tomahawk excels in range.

What Makes the Storm Shadow Cruise Missile So Powerful?

The Storm Shadow missile, known as SCALP EG in Europe, is a sophisticated stand-off air-launched cruise missile designed to destroy hardened and buried targets.

With its considerable weight of 1,300 kg and a length of 5.1 meters, the Storm Shadow is a force to be reckoned with. Its power comes from the Turbomeca Microturbo TRI 60-30 turbine engine, which grants it an impressive range of up to 300 km, and even up to 560 km on certain occasions.

Precise Strikes from a Safe Distance

The standout feature of the Storm Shadow is its ability to deliver precision strikes from a safe stand-off distance. This allows the UK military to engage targets without entering the engagement zone of enemy anti-aircraft weapons, minimizing the risk to the launching platform.

Upon release, the missile’s wings deploy, and it activates its GPS/INS and Terrain Profile Matching TERPROM navigation systems. These systems work in tandem to guide the missile into the target area at low altitudes. Flying at low levels helps the missile avoid enemy radar detection and terrain obstructions.

Deadly Autonomy

As the missile approaches its final approach, the nose cone is jettisoned, and infrared sensors take over to guide the missile down onto its target.

During this phase, the Storm Shadow performs dramatic terminal maneuvers, ensuring precise target engagement.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Storm Shadow is its ability to operate autonomously. Once launched, it doesn’t require external guidance, making it an efficiently deadly weapon for modern warfare.

The Storm Shadow’s Role in Modern Warfare

The Storm Shadow missile’s capabilities have made it a crucial asset in modern warfare. Its precision, range, and autonomy allow military forces to confidently engage in a variety of missions. Whether used defensively to protect against imminent threats or offensively to neutralize high-value targets, the Storm Shadow plays a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of military operations.

This European missile, with its incredible capabilities, showcases the advances in technology and strategy that define the present era of warfare.

What Are the Key Features of Tomahawk Missile?

The Tomahawk cruise missile, developed by the American military, possesses several key features that set it apart as a formidable weapon system. Its impressive range, adaptability, guidance systems, and versatility make it a critical asset in modern warfare.

Exceptional Range

One of the most striking aspects of the Tomahawk is its remarkable range, extending up to 1,500 miles. This extensive reach allows it to engage targets positioned at significant distances from the launch platform. It can be launched from various platforms, including surface ships and submarines, making it a versatile tool for the U.S. Navy.

Diverse Payload Options

The Tomahawk is not only capable of delivering conventional warheads but is also designed for nuclear payloads, providing a broad spectrum of options for mission planners. Its guidance systems are multifaceted, incorporating terrain-following technology, infrared sensors, and GPS. This blend of systems ensures the missile can navigate diverse terrains and accurately strike a wide range of targets, including those with fortified defenses.

Adaptability and Stealth

The missile’s adaptability is another key strength. Different variants cater to specific mission requirements, enabling it to engage land-based and naval targets effectively. Additionally, its stealth features enhance its survivability during the flight, as it can operate at low altitudes to avoid detection by enemy radar.

Proven Effectiveness in Modern Conflicts

The Tomahawk cruise missile has demonstrated its prowess in various military conflicts and continues to be a crucial component of U.S. military strategy. Its ability to engage distant, well-defended, and high-value targets with precision ensures it remains a valuable asset for military forces seeking to achieve their objectives with confidence.

How Do Storm Shadow and Tomahawk Missiles Compare?

When comparing the Storm Shadow and Tomahawk missiles, it’s evident that both are powerful and highly capable cruise missiles. However, they have distinct features that set them apart

Range and Payload

One significant contrast between the Storm Shadow and Tomahawk missiles lies in their range and payload capabilities. The Storm Shadow has an operational range of over 250 miles, while the Tomahawk boasts an impressive range of up to 1,500 miles.

This stark difference in range can be a crucial factor when deciding which missile to employ, as it affects the ability to engage distant targets effectively.

Both missiles are designed to carry a payload of up to 1,000 pounds, but the Tomahawk’s extended range allows it to deliver this payload to targets much farther away.

This makes the Tomahawk a preferred choice for long-range precision strikes, while the Storm Shadow excels in scenarios where shorter distances are involved.

Guidance Systems

Guidance systems are a critical aspect of cruise missiles, and both the Storm Shadow and Tomahawk employ advanced technologies to ensure accuracy.

The Storm Shadow utilizes a terrain-following guidance system known as TERPROM. This system enables the missile to fly at low altitudes, closely following the contours of the terrain to evade radar detection. TERPROM ensures precise navigation and target acquisition.

Conversely, the Tomahawk missile incorporates a multifaceted guidance package that includes GPS technology, infrared sensors, and terrain-following features. These systems collectively enhance the missile’s ability to navigate diverse terrains and accurately engage targets.

While both missiles are highly accurate, the Tomahawk’s variety of guidance systems provides adaptability for different mission objectives.

Adaptability and Versatility

The Storm Shadow and Tomahawk missiles offer adaptability and versatility, but each has unique features that cater to specific mission requirements.

The Storm Shadow, with its focus on precision navigation and low-altitude flying, excels in striking fortified bunkers and high-value infrastructure. Its ability to evade radar detection makes it a valuable asset when stealth and precision are essential.

On the other hand, the Tomahawk’s versatility shines through with various variants designed to meet specific mission objectives. It can engage land-based and naval targets, offering a broad spectrum of options for military planners.

Its long-range capability positions it as a preferred choice when engaging distant targets with fortified defenses.

Historical Usage

Both the Storm Shadow and Tomahawk missiles have been used in real combat scenarios and have proven their effectiveness.

The Storm Shadow, in service since 2003, is a relatively new addition to the realm of cruise missiles. While its historical usage may not be as extensive as the Tomahawk’s, it has shown its precision and effectiveness in engagements.

In contrast, the Tomahawk has a rich history of military usage dating back to the early 1980s. It has been deployed in numerous conflicts, including the Gulf War and the Iraq War. Its extensive track record demonstrates its reliability and capability in various mission scenarios.

How Tomahawk Has Proven Effectiveness in Modern Conflicts?

The Tomahawk missile has demonstrated its effectiveness in various modern conflicts. Here’s an overview of its proven track record

Gulf War (1990-1991): During the Gulf War, the Tomahawk cruise missile played a pivotal role in the coalition’s military campaign. These missiles were used to strike key targets in Iraq, including military installations, communication facilities, and infrastructure. Their precision and long range made them valuable assets in the conflict.

Kosovo War (1999): Tomahawk missiles were deployed in the Kosovo War to target Serbian military installations and infrastructure. Their accuracy was instrumental in minimizing collateral damage and achieving strategic objectives.

War on Terror (2001) : The Tomahawk missile has been used extensively in the ongoing War on Terror. U.S. Navy destroyers launched Tomahawks against Al-Qaeda and Taliban targets in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. They were also used against ISIS targets in Syria and Iraq. The missile’s precision and ability to strike high-value targets while avoiding collateral damage made it a preferred choice in counterterrorism operations.

Libyan Civil War (2011) : In the conflict in Libya, Tomahawk missiles were deployed to enforce a no-fly zone and strike against Libyan government forces. They were effective in degrading the regime’s air defenses and facilitating the mission’s success.

Syrian Civil War (2014-Present): Tomahawk missiles have been employed in response to chemical weapon attacks and other strategic targets in Syria. Their precision and long-range capabilities enable the United States to take measured actions while minimizing the risk of escalation.

Yemen Conflict (Ongoing): The U.S. Navy has used Tomahawk missiles to target Houthi rebel positions in Yemen. These strikes have been part of international efforts to support the Yemeni government and reduce the Houthi threat.

Is BrahMos better than Tomahawk?

BrahMos and Tomahawk are both formidable cruise missiles, but comparing them involves multiple factors, including range, guidance systems, and deployment. BrahMos excels in terms of speed and firepower, while Tomahawk offers a greater range. The choice between them depends on specific mission requirements, making one potentially better than the other depending on the context.

What is the best cruise missile in the world?

Defining the “best” cruise missile is subjective and context-dependent. Several missiles, such as BrahMos, Tomahawk, and Storm Shadow, offer unique advantages, making them the best in various scenarios. The best cruise missile depends on the specific mission and the desired outcomes.

What is the fastest guided missile cruiser?

The fastest guided missile cruiser is typically a warship class, not a missile itself. Cruisers like the Ticonderoga-class and Arleigh Burke-class are known for their speed and guided missile capabilities. The speed of these cruisers can exceed 30 knots, providing excellent mobility and flexibility in naval operations.

What will replace the Storm Shadow missile?

The MBDA Spear missile is designed to replace the Storm Shadow missile in the British Armed Forces. Spear offers advanced capabilities and is adaptable for different mission requirements, ensuring its role in modern warfare.

Is Storm Shadow stealthy?

Yes, the Storm Shadow missile is considered stealthy due to its ability to fly at low altitudes while closely following terrain contours. This terrain-following technology reduces its radar signature, making it less detectable to enemy radar systems.

What is the next-generation missile?

Next-generation missiles are continually being developed, incorporating advanced technologies like hypersonic speed, improved maneuverability, and precision guidance. Examples include the Russian Kinzhal and the U.S. AGM-183A ARRW, which represent the future of missile technology.

What is the most advanced missile?

Determining the most advanced missile is complex, as it depends on various factors such as range, speed, guidance systems, and intended use. Missiles like the Kinzhal, DF-21D, and AGM-183A ARRW are considered some of the most advanced, each excelling in different aspects.

Which country has the best defense system?

Several countries have advanced defense systems, and the evaluation of which one is the best depends on specific criteria. The United States, Russia, China, and Israel are known for their sophisticated defense systems, including missile defense, cyber warfare, and air defense capabilities.

Which country has the best missile technology in the world?

The United States is often regarded as having some of the most advanced missile technology globally. It has developed a wide range of missiles for various applications, from cruise missiles to ballistic missile defense systems, consistently pushing the boundaries of missile technology.

Is Taurus better than Storm Shadow?

Comparing Taurus and Storm Shadow involves evaluating specific mission requirements. Taurus offers a longer range, while Storm Shadow excels in precision and stealth. The choice between them depends on the mission’s objectives and context.

Why are Tomahawk missiles so good?

Tomahawk missiles are highly regarded for their precision, adaptability, and range. They can be launched from various platforms and carry a diverse range of warheads, making them suitable for multiple missions. Their reliability and effectiveness in modern conflicts contribute to their reputation.

Is the Tomahawk missile the best?

The Tomahawk missile is considered one of the best cruise missiles in the world due to its adaptability, precision, and range. However, whether it’s the absolute best depends on the specific requirements and objectives of a given mission.

Final words

On the whole, the Storm Shadow missile and the Tomahawk cruise missile are both remarkable achievements in modern military technology. Each has its strengths, making them valuable assets for different mission requirements. The Storm Shadow’s precision and adaptability have made it a powerful tool in modern conflicts, while the Tomahawk’s extended range and versatility have been crucial for the U.S. military.

When comparing these missiles, it’s clear that they have distinct advantages that suit various scenarios. The choice between them depends on specific mission needs, cost considerations, and the broader strategic context in which they are deployed. As technology advances, these missiles will continue to evolve, playing pivotal roles in global security and conflicts.

The Storm Shadow missile and the Tomahawk cruise missile exemplify the constant advancements in military technology, ensuring that armed forces worldwide have the tools they need to accomplish their missions with precision and effectiveness.

The world’s top air-to-surface missiles

From Lockheed Martin's JASSM-ER to Raduga's Kh-58UShKE, Airforce Technology lists the world’s top air-to-surface missiles by range.

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World’s Best Most Destructive Air-to-Surface Missiles

From Lockheed Martin ‘s JASSM-ER to Raduga’s Kh-58UShKE, Airforce Technology lists the world’s top air-to-surface missiles by range. The list excludes nuclear-armed air-to-surface missiles and air-launched ballistic missiles.

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-ER (JASSM-ER) – 926km

The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) was developed by Lockheed Martin primarily for the US defence forces. The missile is currently in service with the US Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Finnish Air Force, and Polish Air Force.

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The long-range, air-to-surface missile uses infrared seeker and digital anti-jam GPS/inertial measurement unit guidance to engage high-value, well-fortified, stationary, and mobile targets in highly defended environments.

The JASSM-ER weighs approximately 1,000kg and can carry a 450kg blast fragmentation warhead. It can engage targets at a maximum distance of 926km with pinpoint accuracy. The missile is compatible with B-1B, B-52, F-16, and F-15E aircraft.

LRASM – 555km

The Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) is a new generation anti-ship standoff missile based on the combat-proven JASSM-ER missile. Lockheed Martin is offering the LRASM in air and surface-launched configurations.

The subsonic missile employs semi-autonomous guidance and a multi-mode electro-optical seeker. It carries a 450kg penetrating blast fragmentation warhead to a maximum range of 555km.

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The LRASM can penetrate advanced integrated air defence systems while its long-range ensures the engagement of hostile targets that are beyond the reach of direct counter-fire weapons.

Taurus KEPD 350 – 500km

The TAURUS KEPD 350 is a modern, high-precision modular stand-off missile system offered by TAURUS Systems, a joint venture of LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme and Saab Dynamics.

It is in service with the German, Spanish and Republic of Korea air forces.

The air-launched cruise missile is guided by a combination of GPS/INS with terrain reference and image-based navigation to engage strongly hardened and high-value point and area targets within a 500km range.

The missile carries a 481kg dual-stage warhead to destroy stationary and semi-stationary targets in all weather conditions. Powered by a high-thrust turbofan engine, the KEPD 350 offers high manoeuvrability at low and high subsonic speeds.

BrahMos Air-Launched Missile – 300km

The BrahMos air-launched missile forms part of the BrahMos medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile family developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture of NPO Mashinostroyeniya of Russia and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India.

The Indian Air Force test-fired the missile for the first time from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft in November 2017. The BrahMos air-launched configuration employs an inertial navigation system, active radar homing, and GPS/satellite guidance systems.

Powered by a solid-fuel rocket booster and a liquid-fuelled ramjet engine, the supersonic missile delivers a conventional warhead weighing up to 300kg for a maximum range of 300km.

RBS-15 – 300km

The RBS-15 Gungnir is a long-range air-to-surface/anti-ship missile developed by Saab. The latest variant of the missile, RBS15 Mk4, is available in air-launched, ship-launched, and land-based platform-launched configurations.

The missile measures 4.35m-long and weighs 810kg with boosters. It is equipped with active radar seeker to engage manoeuvring ships at sea and stationary land targets. The subsonic missile uses INS and anti-jam navigation to engage targets at a maximum range of 300km.

The RBS-15 missile carries a 200kg high-explosive blast and pre-fragmented warhead. Powered by a turbojet engine, the missile can engage targets in adverse weather and cluttered environments.

Kh-59MK2 – 285km

The Kh-59MK2 extended-range air-to-surface missile is a variant of the Kh-59M TV-guided air-launched missile developed by ‘Raduga’ State Engineering Design Bureau of Russia. It can be integrated with MiG-35, Su-30MK, Su-32, Su-35, and Su-24M aircraft.

The missile is guided by an active radar seeker to engage radar-contrast surface targets at a maximum range of 285km, during day or night, in adverse weather conditions. It weighs 930kg at launch and delivers a 320kg penetrating warhead.

Powered by a solid-fuel rocket motor and a turbofan engine, the Kh-59MK missile can travel at a maximum speed of 1,050km/h.

Kh-35UE – 260km

The Kh-35UE air-to-surface/anti-ship missile is a modern variant of the Kh-35E air-launched missile. It is in service with the Russian Navy, Indian Navy, and the Vietnamese People’s Navy.

The high-subsonic missile offers improved performance and range than its predecessor. It is guided by inertial and satellite navigation systems, as well as an active-passive radar seeker, which ensure better accuracy, and resistance against jamming. The advanced seeker further offers a 50km lock-on range compared with the 20km range of the Kh-35E.

Fitted with a 145kg high-explosive fragmentation penetrator warhead, the Kh-35UE missile is available in aircraft and helicopter-launched versions, which can strike targets within the range of 260km.

Storm Shadow/SCALP – 250km

The Storm Shadow/SCALP is a long-range deep strike missile designed by MBDA to meet the challenging needs of pre-programmed strikes against high-value fixed and mobile land-based targets. The combat-proven missile is deployed from Typhoon, Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Tornado aircraft fleet operated by six air forces.

It uses guidance from GPS/INS and terrain reference navigation systems, as well as an infrared (IR) imaging seeker and automatic target recognition to engage targets with minimal collateral damage.

Powered by a turbojet engine, the Storm Shadow missile can carry a blast/penetrator warhead weighing up to 450kg. It is capable of attacking targets at a maximum distance of 250km.

Stand-Off Missile (SOM) – 250km

The Stand-Off Missile (SOM) family, manufactured by Roketsan, includes SOM-A, SOM-B1, and SOM-B2 missile variants, which can be launched by F-4 and F-16 fighter jets. The missile is in service with the Turkish Air Force and Azerbaijan Air Force.

The SOM-A and B1 versions deliver a 230kg high-explosive blast/fragmentation warhead while the B2 version can carry a 230kg tandem penetrator warhead. Each variant is guided by an image infrared seeker, as well as GPS, INS, terrain reference, and image-based navigation systems.

The cruise missile is propelled by a turbojet engine, which ensures a high-subsonic speed of Mach 0.9. It can engage heavily defended surface or mobile naval targets at a maximum range of 250km.

Kh-58UShKE – 245km

The Kh-58UShKE anti-radiation missile was developed by ‘Raduga’ State Machine-Building Design Bureau to engage the radar infrastructure of Hawk, Nike Hercules, Patriot, and other surface-to-air missiles (SAM) systems.

The supersonic missile features a passive radar homing head and an automatic control system based on a platform-free navigation system. It can be launched from catapult launchers fitted to the external stations of modern aircraft such as MiG-35, Su-30MK, Su-32, and Su-35.

The Kh-58UShKE missile weighs 650kg and carries a 149kg high-explosive warhead to a maximum range of 245km.

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Everything To Know About Tomahawk Missiles: Speed, Cost, And Destructive Power

Tomahawk missiles have been world famous since the first Gulf War in 1991 when the United States used the missile against Saddam Hussein's forces in Iraq and Kuwait. Since then, the missile system has been used in nearly every conflict the United States has been involved in, including recent strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Given the weapon's ubiquity, it's worth exploring what exactly a Tomahawk missile is. The United States Navy reports that over 2,300 Tomahawks have been deployed in combat, with that number increasing by the day.

According to the Missile Defense Project from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Tomahawk (full name Tomahawk Land Attack Missile) has been in service since 1983 and were first developed for the United States Navy starting in 1972. It was designed to be launched from ships or submarines and was, from the outset, made with nuclear payloads in mind. However, nuclear-armed Tomahawks have not been used in combat and are currently deactivated.

Slow and steady

The Tomahawk missile itself is a 20.3 foot long craft with a wingspan of eight and a half feet, and it weighs 3,330 pounds with all of its components. It's powered by both a rocket booster and turbofan jet engine made by Williams International. According to PBS, the rocket booster engine launches the Tomahawk in the air (hence all the smoke you may see in news broadcasts or photos you see of the missile) and then its jet engine takes the missile the rest of the way to its target.

Despite being powered by rockets and a jet engine, the Tomahawk missile itself isn't that fast, at least comparatively. It reportedly travels at a speed of around 550 miles per hour. An F-16 fighter jet tops out at 1,500 miles per hour and the much larger Minuteman III ballistic missile can reach speeds of up to 15,000 miles per hour. Supposedly, the Tomahawk's relatively low speed helps it avoid radar systems more efficiently. Additionally, it flies at an altitude of between 100 and 300 feet, much lower than conventional fighter aircraft.

Range and power

The actual payload of the Tomahawk can consist of a number of different munitions. But the primary warhead of the Tomahawk is a 1,000-pound high explosive charge. It can also carry cluster munitions consisting of small bomblets, similar to the ATACMS currently used in Ukraine . For explosive force, Tomahawks were more than enough to disable runways or sink ships.

The exact guidance system and navigational dynamics of the Tomahawk missile are classified. However, it is known that it can use GPS or inertial guidance systems to hit the target. Additionally, the U.S. Navy states that up to 15 targets can be pre-programmed for missile salvos. The Tomahawk is capable of "loitering," meaning that, provided the missile has enough fuel, it can fly around in circles to relay information or wait for the right target. It has a range of around 1,500 miles, meaning that the ship or submarine launching the missile is well out of harm's way. It is accurate to within 10 meters.

The Tomahawk's combat history

The Tomahawk is primarily made by Raytheon Missile Systems. According to budget data from the United States Marine Corps from 2022, each Tomahawk costs around $2 million. As of now, the United States and the United Kingdom are the only countries to deploy Tomahawk missiles, although Australia and Japan have put out bids to purchase Tomahawks.

The U.S. Navy states that 140 total craft are capable of launching Tomahawks. That number consists of Ohio-class submarines, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and more. The United States Army has also tested launching Tomahawks from ground-based platforms. The USS Missouri, a World War II-era battleship and the very last of its kind, was fitted to fire Tomahawks during the opening salvos of the First Gulf War. It fired a total of 28 cruise missiles, in addition to its 16-inch deck guns.

The submarines USS Louisville and USS Pittsburgh launched Tomahawks in 1991 at targets in Iraq and became the first submarines to fire Tomahawks while submerged.

Several decades of service

Outside of the Gulf War, Tomahawks were used to attack Iraq several more times in the 1990s, against Bosnian targets in 1995, during NATO actions against Yugoslavia, and during the engagements against Afghanistan after 9/11. More recently, Tomahawks saw use in Libya as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn, ISIS in Syria experienced the effects of Tomahawks, and Syrian chemical weapons facilities used by despot Bashar Al-Assad were struck by Tomahawks in 2017. In 2024, both American and British forces launched Tomahawks against Houthi rebels after the rebel group attacked shipping lanes and US-flagged vessels in the Red Sea.

Raytheon reports that the Tomahawk missile could stay in service until at least 2035. By that time, the cruise missile will have eclipsed 50 years of service. With its long range, ability to be launched practically anywhere in the world from above or below the waves, and its accuracy, the Tomahawk has proved literally thousands of times that it is a vital part of the arsenals of the U.S. Navy and the Royal Navy.

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This is post 7 of 23 in the series “Complex Weapons”

Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM)

Aster surface to air missile (sea viper), brimstone guided missile.

Common Anti Air Missile (CAMM)
Fire Shadow Loitering Munition
SPEAR Missile
Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS)
Harpoon Missile
Martlet (Lightweight Multirole Missile)
Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM
Exactor (Spike NLOS)
Starstreak High Velocity Missile
Tomahawk Cruise Missile
Land Precision Strike
Mounted Close Combat Overwatch (MCCO)
Fibre Optic Guided Missiles (EFOG-M, Polyphem, and others)
Anti-Tank Mortar Bombs (Merlin, STRIX and Bussard)
Future Cruise Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW)

Storm Shadow is the RAF’s long-range stand-off precision-guided cruise missile used against high-value and hardened targets.

The RAF describe the Storm Shadow Conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile (CASOM) as;

This long-range air-launched and conventionally armed missile equips RAF Tornado GR4 squadrons and saw operational service in 2003 with 617 Squadron during combat in Iraq, before entering full service in 2004.

Armed with a specialist penetrating warhead, it is designed to destroy high-value and hardened targets at stand-off ranges.

Table of Contents

Storm Shadow History

Storm Shadow has its roots in the 1982 Falkland Islands conflict.

Staff work on the 1982 Long-Range Stand-Off Missile was eventually absorbed into the 1987 seven countries’ NATO Modular Stand-Off Weapon (MSOW) programme. The MSOW partner nations included the USA, UK, Spain, Canada, France, West Germany and Italy.

France and Canada withdrew, citing concerns over work share. MSOW requirements included three different size missiles and a modular payload concept.

The variants were for a short-range anti-tank, long-range static target and long-range mobile target.

Alliance Defence Corporation (ADC), headed by Rockwell, won the competition against General Dynamics, but the deal was far from done. The USAF effectively killed off the programme by withdrawing in 1989, reportedly over differences in the concept of operations with the RAF.

The USAF, in particular, wanted to drop the heavy (1,600 kg) long-range version that the RAF particularly wanted for Tornado. Differences over the ‘stealthiness’ of the design were also a concern for the USAF and others.

With MSOW dead, the RAF and others went back to the drawing board.

Competition

Matra and BAE Dynamics started a discussion about merging their guided weapon units in 1992.

The 1994 Staff Requirement (Air) 1236 defined the need for a stand-off missile to be used against hardened targets such as aircraft shelters or command and control nodes.

Several systems were proposed;

GEC Marconi/BAE Pegasus

The Marconi Avionics Hakim precision-guided bomb was available in two weights, both also having alternative guidance options. They were originally developed by ISC in the US to meet a 1984 requirement defined by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.

Ferranti purchased ISC in 1987 and was subsequently purchased by Marconi in 1991. Hakim was variously called by many names; Project Alpha, GMX, Felix, Pegasus and even Little Brother, entering service with the UAE in 1990 (Hakim A/B) and 1993 (Hakim C/D).

The PGM-4 variant of the Hakim B was equipped with a Teledyne Ryan micro turbojet and was redesigned so as not to breach Missile Technology Control Regime obligations, it was also called Centaur and offered to the RAF.

The range was reported to be 250 km.

ADM-141 TALD Variant

An armed and stretched version of the Brunswick Corporation Tactical Air Launched Decoy (TALD)

Hughes/Smiths Industries Airhawk

Airhawk was a shortened BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile.

It was fitted with a Thomson Thorn Lancer penetrating warhead, with an overall length of 4.66m. Weight was 907 kg with a reported range of 600 km.

McDonnell Douglas/Hunting Grand SLAM

Grand SLAM was derived from the SLAM-ER, with a range of 300 km and a 400 kg penetrator warhead. The warhead was derived from the US AGM-137 TSSAM programme.

It was 5.31m long and weighed 1,100 kg. Wing span was 2.42m

Aérospatiale Asura (Air to SUrface RAmjet)

This was a high-speed and conventionally armed variant of the ASMP-C missile

Rafael Popeye 3 (Turbo )

Popeye 3 was a turbofan variant of the Popeye Air to Surface missile.

Daimler-Benz Aerospace/Saab Kinetic Energy Penetrating Destroyer (KEPD) 250/350

This would eventually go on to become Taurus KEPD in service with Germany, Spain, and the Republic of Korea.

Texas Instruments/Shorts Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW)

A derivative of the Matra Apache missile called Storm Shadow.

The APACHE (Arme Propu/sée A Charges Ejectables) Container Weapon System (CWS) was initially developed jointly by France and Germany as part of a programme that included submunition dispensing systems for anti-armour and runway denial requirements.

Concept studies started in 1983, envisaging three variants with different ranges and payloads.

Flight trials in 1986, but Germany withdrew from the programme in 1988.

The Matra Apache was ahead of its time, the first of such a system in Europe, at 1,230 kg it was not small, but had a range of 140 km and could carry ten KRISS runway denial submunitions.

By 1991, the missile had evolved to a single-body turbojet-powered design but several payload options.

Matra proposed a 600 km variant called Apache-C.

Apache-C was eventually called the Armement de precision Tire Grande Distance (APTGD), changing to Systéme de Croisiére conventional Autonone tongue Portée de Precision (SCALP) later in the nineties (SCALP-EG and Storm Shadow are virtually identical)

A 250 km version was offered to the UK to satisfy the RAF’s CASOM requirement, based on a version of Apache called AI (Anti Structure), called Storm Shadow

Apache AI was also designed to meet a French Air Force requirement for a 250-400 km missile, able to defeat hardened targets.

Different industry groupings and partnerships emerged with pretty much every possible combination of new and developments of existing systems explored, even to the point of a proposal for a ‘Golden Eagle’, an enlarged version of Sea Eagle.

Multiple designs were also proposed by some bidders to allow the smaller Harrier to carry it.

CASOM was intended to arm Harrier, Tornado and EF2000 (Typhoon)

To complicate matters, in 1994, Matra offered the Apache C to the Royal Navy for the Surface to Surface Guided Weapon Requirement.

SRA 1236 was very much beset by politics, its selection would pave the way for the merger of BAE Dynamics and Matra; the French government had blocked the merger, contingent on Storm Shadow being selected by the MoD. If the MoD chose the US or Israeli solution, Saudi Arabia would not be interested or likely able to obtain it for its Tornado fleet.

CASOM was de-linked from the US Joint Air-Surface Stand-Off Missile (JASSM) requirements after pressure from US Industry, the two would go their own way.

Storm Shadow Selected

The £700 million contract to develop and manufacture Storm Shadow was signed in 1997 with Matra BAe Dynamics.

Germany then went its own way with the Taurus KEPD 350, a system broadly comparable to Storm Shadow.

The French MoD awarded Matra BAe Dynamics a Fr6 Billion contract in 1998 for 500 SCALP-EG (Emploi General) missiles in 1998.

Storm Shadow was selected by Italy in 1999 and some initial funding from the French MoD was used by Matra BAe Dynamics to investigate ground, sea and submarine launching options.

The first flight of Storm Shadow took place at the end of 2000 with more carried out over the coming years.

2002 flight test video

In 2002, France started the detailed development of a naval variant of Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG.

At the end of the project definition phase, MBDA had concluded that the best approach was to take components from SCALP but house them in a new airframe that could fit within a 535 mm standard torpedo tube.

The Royal Navy was fully briefed during the development, but it did not select the missile. For launching from the SYLVER Vertical Launch System, a booster would be used to eject the missile and turn it over to the direction of travel.

Storm Shadow Enters Service

During the opening stages of Operation TELIC, RAF Tornado GR.4’s fired 27 Storm Shadow missiles, despite it not being formally accepted into service at that point

The missile releases were conducted by Tornado GR.4 aircraft from the 617 Squadron, the Dambusters.

Storm Shadow was formally accepted into RAF service in October 2004, the CASOM Team Leader at the MoD commented;

Availability of this world-beating system represents a significant leap forward in technology and capability for the RAF. The state of the art navigation system, providing phenomenal precision, together with the specialised bunker-busting BROACH warhead has no known equivalent in the world today.

MBDA announced a series of potential upgrades for Storm Shadow in July 2004. The French MoD funded a €15m programme that demonstrated the potential for a one-way data link from the missile to launch aircraft that would relay information in real-time to allow some basic bomb damage assessment to be made.

Follow-on studies were intended to show how a two-way data link could be used to re-target the missile whilst it was still in flight.

Other options reportedly included an improved airframe design, a new warhead called HARDBUT and a new seeker. The Hard and Deeply Buried Target (HARDBUT) Next Generation Multiple Warhead System (NGMWS) was part of a wider joint Technology Demonstration Programme (TDP) funded by the MoD and Générale de l’Armement (DGA).

The CASOM project out-turned at £981 million, for what is reported to be a 900-missile stock.

Further Developments and Operational Use

In 2008, the MoD announced the Storm Shadow Capability Enhancement Programme (SSCEP).

Two enabling contracts have been placed to undertake the work associated with the assessment phase (AP) for complex weapons, announced on 15 July 2008. One of these contracts has been placed with MBDA (UK) Ltd and covers work on the Indirect Fire Precision Attack Loitering Munition (IFPA LM), Future Air-to-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy) (FASGWH), Selected Precision Effects at Range (SPEAR), Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS), and Storm Shadow Capability Enhancement (SSCEP) programmes. https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2008-09-29/debates/0809014000026/ArmedForcesComplexWeapons

Fit checks were also carried out on Nimrod MRA4

An initial test firing of the HARDBUT warhead was completed at the Biscarrosse test range in France on the 18th of May 2010, followed by another on the 14th of September 2010.

Storm Shadow was used in Operation ELLAMY, Libya 2011, by France, Italy, and the UK.

On 19 Mar 11, four Tornado GR4s launched on a historic 3,000-mile round trip to conduct a deep strike Storm Shadow attack on key Libyan installations. The aircraft returned to RAF Marham in the early hours of Sunday morning having achieved 8 direct hits from eight weapons delivered.

The MoD revealed that during Operational ELLAMY, the UK fired 80 Storm Shadow and Tomahawk cruise missiles, although they decided not to detail the quantities for each due to security concerns.

A 2011 Parliamentary Question revealed the cost of a Storm Shadow;

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of one Storm Shadow missile; and what assessment he has made of the value for money of the Storm Shadow missile. [49247] Peter Luff: Storm Shadow provides the UK with a unique capability for precision strike against high-value hardened targets such as command bunkers without exposing aircraft and crews to high threat levels. The missile was procured in co-operation with France following an international competition. Storm Shadow missiles which were contracted for in 1997 are now held on the Ministry of Defence’s balance sheet at a value of some £790,000 per missile. This figure includes the costs of producing an integrated weapon system and not just the purchase cost of the missile. In addition, a further £160 million was incurred by the UK in development costs.

Flight trials of the Storm Shadow on Typhoon took place in November 2013, the contracted cost for Typhoon/Storm Shadow integration is £120 million.

The UK/France Defence and Security Summit in 2014 produced some programme decisions, including this one on Storm Shadow/SCALP

Progress has also been made on the SCALP-EG and Storm Shadow refurbishment and upgrade programme where both governments have agreed to share data associated with national concept and assessment phase programmes. We aim to agree on a Memorandum of Understanding for staffing by early summer 2014. Looking further ahead, we continue to work to progress the joint concept study assessing possible solutions to meet our long-term requirements to replace Harpoon, Exocet, and Storm Shadow/SCALP. The concept study is due to complete later this summer

This new missile is notionally designed to meet the SPEAR Cap 5 requirement, intended to be in service between 2030 and 2035.

In September 2014, a Parliamentary Question revealed Storm Shadow related details;

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on development of the Storm Shadow stand-off weapon; what assessment he has made of its potential advantages to the UK’s defence capabilities; and if he will make a statement. [207657] Mr Dunne: Storm Shadow continues to provide the UK with a unique capability for precision strike against high-value hardened targets without exposing aircraft and crews to higher than necessary levels of risk. The Storm Shadow Mid Life Refurbishment concept phase is considering options to maintain the Storm Shadow Weapons System Capability in order to meet our planning requirements. We have agreed to exchange information with France on our respective national refurbishment and upgrade programmes for Storm Shadow/SCALP EG (the French name for Storm Shadow), underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed at the Farnborough International Air Show in July 2014. I announced in July that the Storm Shadow is to be integrated into the RAF’s Typhoon aircraft to enter service in 2018.

A month after that, Janes confirmed the name of the joint UK/France missile would be Future Cruise and Anti-Ship Weapon (FCASW) / Futur Missile Antinavire/Futur Missile de Croisière (FMAN/FMC).

The first release of a Storm Shadow missile from a Typhoon was completed in November 2015.

STORM SHADOW adds attack stand-off capability to TYPHOON which now really accomplishes every possible role in the combat scenario. The aircraft retains excellent performance in an incredible low pilot workload cockpit environment, essential for a single-seat multirole aircraft,” Enrico Scarabotto, the Italian Chief Test pilot who flew the IPA2, said, while Steve Greenbank, Director of Aircraft Programmes for Military Air & Information, BAE Systems, commented on the METEOR trials: “These latest METEOR firing trials are another step forward in the integration of the missile onto the TYPHOON aircraft, demonstrating they can operate safely, accurately and effectively.”

The MoD confirmed that Storm Shadow integration had been dropped for the UK’s F-35B in January 2016, instead, likely to concentrate on the SPEAR Capability 5 in the longer term.

Storm Shadow was a threshold weapon in the original F-35 (Joint Combat Aircraft) Operational Requirements Document (ORD).

UK Carrier Strike capability was then centred on the QE Class aircraft carriers, and the F-35B, but they will have no stand-off deep strike capability against hardened targets.

Work towards full qualification for Storm Shadow in Typhoon continued as part of the P2E package, intended to be complete by 2018, in time for Tornado OSD in 2019.

In early July 2016, the MoD confirmed a support contract award for Storm Shadow;

MOD has awarded a £28 million contract to support a long-range missile used by RAF Tornados and currently being integrated onto Typhoon aircraft. The contract with MBDA to support the missile over the next 5 years will ensure regular maintenance and repair of the weapon system, keeping it in a safe condition and at a high state of readiness for deployment.

The MoD has also confirmed Storm Shadow was used against an ISIS target, specifically several bunkers.

Intelligence had determined that Daesh were using a large concrete bunker in western Iraq as a weapons facility. Due to the massive construction, built during the Saddam era, it was decided to use four Stormshadow missiles against it, as the weapon has particularly good capabilities against such a challenging target. The missiles were launched on Sunday 26 June by two Tornados, all four Stormshadows scored direct hits and penetrated deep within the bunker.

By then, Storm Shadow was in service (or ordered) with France, the UK, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE (Black Shaheen variant) and Egypt (Black Shaheen variant)

A good background article on Black Shaheen, including speculation about range, is at this link

Usage figures were updated in September 2016 with the publication of the Parliamentary Defence Select Committee Report on Operations Against Daesh.

Four were used against targets in Iraq.

Storm Shadow planned to be subject to a Mid-Life Refurbishment (MLR) that met the SPEAR Capability 4 requirement, with a then planned start date of 2017.

This would take Storm Shadow to its planned out-of-service period of around 2030 when it will be replaced with the SPEAR Capability 5 system, notionally, the UK/France Future Cruise and Anti-Ship Weapon (FCASW) / Futur Missile Antinavire/Futur Missile de Croisière (FMAN/FMC).

The MLR was formally announced in March 2017.

Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin has today announced a £146 million contract with MBDA to regenerate an air-launched missile, alongside her French counterpart Laurent Collet-Billon. The shared deal with MDBA will see the UK’s Storm Shadow and France’s SCALP missiles updated so they remain fit for purpose and ready for operational use. During an inward visit by Laurent Collet-Billon, the Minister confirmed the strong partnership with France in a series of meetings at Lancaster House. The collaboration is providing a £50 million saving for both sides. The contract will keep the missile in service for the next decade and beyond and help to sustain around 60 UK jobs. Storm Shadow is a combat-proven, long-range, precision cruise missile, already in service with RAF Tornados, deployed recently against Daesh in Iraq.

The £146 million contract includes the refurbishment of the turbojet engine, an upgrade of the navigational system, and a like-for-like replacement of items such as the cabling, seals and gaskets, especially those that are life-expired.

An image of SPEAR Capability 4 flight testing, the Storm Shadow MLR, was released.

In March 2021, the MoD confirmed the first operational firing of a Storm Shadow from an RAF Typhoon against targets in Iraq.

The Royal Air Force is continuing to conduct airstrikes as required to assist the highly capable Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Forces to prevent Daesh from re-establishing a meaningful presence in Iraq. he caves identified were assessed to be particularly difficult targets and two RAF Typhoon FGR4s were therefore tasked to conduct strikes in support of ground forces from the highly-capable Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service

In 2022, Janes reported that the Selected Precision Effects at Range (SPEAR) Capability 4, the Storm Shadow Mid-Life Upgrade, was approaching completion, having been announced 5 years earlier.

After a great deal of press speculation, the MoD announced in May 2023 that it had supplied Ukraine with Storm Shadow.

In an oral statement to the House of Commons, Defence Secretary (Ben Wallace MP) said

In December, Mr Deputy Speaker, I wrote to Russian Defence Minister Shoigu and set out the UK government’s objection to the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure. And that further attacks – contrary to International Humanitarian Law – for example, the Principle of Distinction, codified in Articles 48, 51, and 52 of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Convention, would force me to consider donating more capable weapons to Ukraine, so they may better defend themselves within their own territory. Unfortunately, Russia has continued down this dark path. This year, Russia’s leadership has continued to systematically target civilians and civilian infrastructure with bombs, missiles and drones. More medical facilities were targeted in January than in the previous six months combined. It has bombed power facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa oblasts. Incidents of civilian casualties have increased; especially in areas close to the frontline, such as Kherson and Bakhmut – a city now reduced to a smoking ruin. In January, a block of flats in Dnipro was wiped out by a 5.5 tonne Russian AS-4 KITCHEN missile – probably causing 124 casualties, including 45 fatalities. In March, a five-storey apartment block in Zaporizhzia was attacked with a S-300 missile – almost completely destroying the building. And between April 27 and May 2, Russian forces conducted strikes against Ukraine using Kh-101 and Kh-555 long-range Air Launched Cruise Missiles. Despite Kremlin claims that it is targeting Ukraine’s “military-industrial facilities” one of the buildings struck was a nine-storey apartment block. The salvo left 23 dead and dozens more injured. Last week, Russian shelling struck residential buildings, and on Monday they bombed a Red Cross warehouse full of humanitarian aid. And drone footage from Bakhmut appeared to show white phosphorus raining down on a city ablaze. The use of incendiary weapons, which burn at 800 degrees Celsius, within concentrations of civilians is a contravention of Protocol 3 of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Mr Deputy Speaker, as I have said many times in the past we simply will not stand by while Russia kills civilians. We have seen what Ukrainians are able to do when they have the right capabilities. In recent days, 30 Shahed drones have been shot down. The Ukrainian Air Force say 23 out of 25 cruise missiles fired from sea and land have been downed. And we have had confirmation from Lieutenant General Oleschuk, the Ukrainian Air Force Commander, that even Russia’s much-vaunted AS-24 KILLJOY air launched hypersonic ballistic missile has been brought down. That is why the Prime Minister and I have now taken the decision to provide longer range capabilities. In December, I informed the House that I was “developing options to respond to Russia’s continued aggression in a calibrated and determined manner”. Today, I can confirm that the UK has donated Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine. Storm Shadow is a long-range conventional precision strike capability. It compliments the long-range systems already gifted, including HIMARS and Harpoon missiles, as well as Ukraine’s own Neptune cruise missiles and longer-range munitions already gifted. The donation of these weapon systems gives Ukraine the best chance to defend themselves against Russia’s continued brutality. Especially, the deliberate targeting of Ukrainian Civilian Infrastructure, which is against International Law. Ukraine has a right to be able to defend itself against this. Their use of Storm Shadow will allow Ukraine to push back Russian forces based within Ukrainian Sovereign Territory. I’m sure the House will understand that I will not go into further details of the capability. But while these weapons will give Ukraine new capability, members should recognise that these systems are not in the same league as the Russian AS-24 KILLJOY hypersonic missile or Shahed Iranian one-way attack drones, or their Kalibr cruise missile with a range of over 2,000km. Roughly 7 times that of the Storm Shadow missile.

After much speculation, imagery emerged of Storm Shadow fitted to Ukrainian SU-24 ‘Fencer’ aircraft, apparently using ex Tornado pylons.

Storm Shadow strikes and missile remnants continued to be reported through 2023, and by mid-2023, it was speculated that over 125 missiles had been fired at Russian targets in Ukraine.

Storm Shadow (and SCALP/EG) continued to be used by Ukraine in 2024, and it was also revealed that Italy had donated some of their stock as well.

In a written response to the Defence Select Committee report, ‘Ready for War’, in April 2024, the MoD stated

To date investments include support to deliver a large purchase of 155mm munitions, building storm shadow stockpiles, supply chain mapping, wargaming, enhancements to a range of critical infrastructure, and medical stockpiles. In addition to these uplifts, we have placed almost £1Bn in contracts to replenish UK stocks of equipment and munitions already granted to Ukraine. Contracts have been placed to replenish UK stockpiles include Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapons; Starstreak High Velocity Missiles; Lightweight Multirole Missiles; Javelin missiles; Brimstone missiles; 155mm artillery rounds; and 5.56mm rifle rounds

There was a great deal of speculation about Storm Shadow production but no official confirmation beyond that above.

Storm Shadow Capabilities

Storm Shadow is a stand-off air-launched cruise missile designed to destroy hardened and buried targets.

It weighs 1,300kg, is 5.1m long and has a width of approximately 0.5m, with wings extended, 3m.

Using a Turbomeca Microturbo TRI 60-30 turbine engine, it has a range that is variously reported but generally accepted to be between 250 km and 300 km, although many sources suggest up to 560 km. This stand-off range allows the UK to attack targets without entering the engagement zone of anti-aircraft weapons.

Once released, wings deploy and using its GPS/INS and Terrain Profile Matching (TERPROM) navigation system guide the missile to the target area at a low level using terrain avoidance and masking. On the final approach, the nose cone is jettisoned, and the infrared sensor guides the missile to the impact point, performing terminal manoeuvre as required.

This image recognition terminal guidance system is extremely accurate, there have been reports of Storm Shadow missiles following each other down the first entry hole. This accuracy provides mission planners with many options, especially when seeking to exploit target weaknesses or avoid surrounding areas.

The mission planning software allows every detail of the flight to be pre-programmed.

Apart from extreme accuracy, the second element of Storm Shadow’s effectiveness is the sophisticated warhead it carries, the Bomb, Royal Ordnance Augmenting CHarge (BROACH).

BROACH uses a precursor penetrator charge followed by a follow-through main charge.

Combined with an advanced fuze (like Paveway IV, from Thales) it has proven to be devastatingly effective.

Entry and exit points are shown in the images below.

The BROACH warhead has also been employed against targets like bridges.

BROACH is also in service on the US Joint Stand-Off Weapon, AGM-154C.

And as we all know, all complex weapons come in an All Up Round Container

A few thoughts on Storm Shadow Range

When Storm Shadow was supplied to Ukraine, there was a great deal of speculation about its range, for obvious reasons.

Storm Shadow is based on the Matra Apache missile, with a range of 140 km.

Matra also proposed a 600 km range version called Apache C, we didn’t buy that.

Storm Shadow is actually based on the Anti Structure version of Apache called Apache AI, this had a range of 250 km.

250 km was the objective range for the RAF’s Conventionally Armed Stand Off Missile (CASOM) requirement, SRA 1236.

MBDA state range is ‘in excess of 250km’

Some firings against ISIS would seem to indicate more than 250 km but nothing official on this.

Don’t confuse SCALP Naval with SCALP EG/Storm Shadow, quite different in many regards, although their range is described as 900 km

Interestingly, Storm Shadow has a peer in the Taurus KEPD, although this weighs 100 kg more and has a different engine, MBDA state this has a range of 500 km plus.

Storm Shadow and Taurus are comparable in many ways, developed at the same time, and physics is physics.

The RAF published a brochure in 2013 that described Storm Shadow range as 300 nm plus, 550 km

You can still see an archived version of the RAF website that also says 300 nm plus

https://t.co/xZ877j9poq

So who do you believe? The manufacturer, the RAF (depending on current or older public materials), other websites or rampant Twitter speculation?

Anything beyond the official range of ‘in excess of 250km’ is speculation, you believe what you want!

The range is subject to many factors, so even a confirmed maximum range of x might not be achieved in condition y.

We keep them vague for a good reason, to keep enemies guessing.

Personally, I am happy to not know, I don’t need to know, those that do, do

Click HERE to read about other UK Complex Weapons

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A huge amount of brilliant information. Wonderful to find out a load about Storm Shadow that I didn't know!

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Storm Shadow missiles give Ukraine 'a much longer stick,' but Russia is already learning to adapt, expert says

The Storm Shadow cruise missile is the latest highly touted weapon employed by Ukraine.
The missile has been effective, striking important targets deep inside Russian-held territory.
But Russian adaptations in the past year have limited Storm Shadow's impact, one military expert said.

First it was drones and then HIMARS. With depressing regularity, a new wonder weapon has been touted as a game changer for Ukraine only for its luster to dim as Russia adapts to it.

The latest example is the Storm Shadow, an air-launched cruise missile developed by the UK and France that Ukraine has used to spectacular effect, notably in a strike in June that damaged the vital Chonhar bridge between the Crimean peninsula and southern Ukraine.

Some observers believe Storm Shadow will be crucial to Ukraine's counteroffensive . The missile's 155-mile range allows Ukrainian jets to launch it while staying out of range of Russian air defenses. In addition to a 1,000-pound warhead and stealth features, Storm Shadow has multiple guidance systems, including GPS, inertial guidance, and terrain-following radar, that enable it to avoid detection by flying just a few hundred feet above the ground.

"They're effective weapons," Michael Kofman, an expert on the Russian military at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said on a July 14 episode of the Geopolitics Decanted podcast, recorded while he was visiting Ukraine. "They're difficult to intercept, and it gives Ukraine, to put it crudely, a much longer stick."

While HIMARS, which is short for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, initially proved devastating in Ukrainian attacks on supply depots and command posts, the Russian military was able to adapt — though at some cost to efficiency — through use of electronic warfare and by moving logistical sites and headquarters out of range of the HIMARS rockets.

British Cruise Missiles Foreshadow Storms in Ukraine

The UK’s decision marks a moment in Ukraine’s fight against Russia, though it is unclear just how big a difference it will make.

After 15 months of the West refusing to send long-range missiles to Ukraine for fear of escalation, comes an announcement: Britain has sent Storm Shadow cruise missiles . Perhaps not coincidentally, it comes as Ukraine prepares to unleash a counteroffensive despite doubts among its allies that it has the capacity to achieve a decisive breakthrough against entrenched Russian defenses.

Published information suggests Storm Shadow is a potent cruise missile with some stealth features: launched from an aircraft, flies low to the ground at 500 miles per hour, and then climbs abruptly before diving onto the target with a 700-lb bunker-buster warhead. Russia said on May 13 that the missiles have been used against two targets in occupied Ukraine.

The problem with Storm Shadow is that too much may be expected from it. First, the missile has been labeled a long-range weapon. But long-range relative to what? A Minuteman ICBM has a reach of 6,000 miles, and a Tomahawk cruise missile 1,000 miles.

Storm Shadow has a range of just 155 miles. That’s more than the 50-mile range of the HIMARS multiple rocket launcher but less than the 190-mile-range ATACMS rockets that the US has refused to send to Ukraine. Though Tomahawk and Storm Shadow are both cruise missiles, the latter seems more like a longer-range version of HIMARS.

After their ammunition depots and headquarters were ravaged by HIMARS rockets last year, Russia partially countered the threat by moving installations out of range. Storm Shadow will extend the size of that threat zone, and force Russia to disperse and harden facilities even more, which will complicate battlefield logistics. But this is more of an incremental effect unless Ukraine chooses to risk a political — or even nuclear — firestorm by sending Storm Shadow-equipped aircraft on deep-penetration missions far into Russian territory.

British Defense Minister Ben Wallace stated that Storm Shadow would only be used “within Ukrainian sovereign territory.” He was also careful to note that Storm Shadow had a fraction of the range of cruise missiles that Russia has already launched at Ukraine, including Kalibr missiles with a reach of 1,250 miles.

But as the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) said in a May 15 report : “Even if targets in Russia are not to be engaged, the Russian military cannot proceed on that assumption, and so this will create new requirements for Russian air and missile defense, spreading resource and expertise across more sites and thereby necessarily thinning the protection of key targets on the strike list.”

Russia has partly neutralized HIMARS rockets by jamming their GPS guidance systems. With its combination of inertial guidance, GPS and terrain-following radar, Storm Shadow will be harder to jam, while its stealth features and ground-hugging flight path will make it difficult to shoot down.

The limitation for Ukraine may be how many missiles the West can send it. Storm Shadow began as a Franco-British project for a standoff cruise missile that would allow launch aircraft to stay out of reach of enemy air defenses. It is already fielded by nine nations, including Egypt, Greece and Italy, but mostly in small quantities of 100 to 200 missiles. A big purchaser has been Britain, with up to 1,000 missiles, according to British media reports in the late 1990s.

Britain hasn’t said how many Storm Shadows it is sending. But it is unlikely to be the entire stockpile. One lesson of the Ukraine war has been that cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, guided artillery rounds, and other smart weapons are used at an enormous rate. Consumption is running so far ahead of production capacity that Ukraine will have to ration its Storm Shadows for a protracted conflict.

As RUSI says, the missiles will have to be used with great care: “But if they are used judiciously to create gaps, enhance uncertainty, and shape opportunities, the UK will have just given Kyiv a powerful tool to contribute to the liberation of Ukrainian lands.”

Russia has complained that Storm Shadow is an escalation and that it had already shot some down . Whether this is true or not, the Kremlin cannot be pleased with Ukraine getting yet another advanced Western weapon. The missile cannot therefore have a decisive impact on the war, but insofar as it opens doors to the supply of other advanced Western weapons this may mark a significant moment.

Michael Peck is a defense writer. He can be found on  Twitter  and  LinkedIn .

Europe’s Edge is CEPA’s online journal covering critical topics on the foreign policy docket across Europe and North America. All opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or views of the institutions they represent or the Center for European Policy Analysis.

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The U.K. Has Given Ukraine the Storm Shadow: A Western Missile on a Soviet Warbird

Russian forces in Crimea better watch out.

an raf tornado gr4 aircraft carrying two storm shadow missiles under the fuselagethis long range air launched and conventionally armed missile equips raf tornado gr4 squadrons and saw operational service in 2003 with 617 squadron during combat in iraq, prior to entering full service in 2004 post deployment analysis demonstrated the missiles exceptional accuracy, and the effect on targets was described as devastating based on this performance, it is arguably the most advanced weapon of its kind in the worldfeasibility studies on a possible uk requirement for a long range stand off missile were originally commissioned in 1982, and work was eventually subsumed in 1986 into the nato seven nation modular stand off weapon programme this project was however aborted, and the uk subsequently withdrew with the end of the cold war the uk’s continued need for a stand off requirement was reviewed and endorsed as part of the ‘options for change’ exercise an international competition was launched in 1994 to meet the uk’s conventionally armed stand off missile casom requirement, and seven companies responded

Despite extensive military assistance to Ukraine, transfers of two types of military hardware have remained taboo for Ukraine’s allies: modern Western-designed jet fighters, and long range land-attack missiles.

It’s unclear whether Ukraine has received fully capable Storm Shadows, or a reduced range model so as to adhere to the MTCR arms control regime, which ordinarily discouraged export of missiles with a range exceeding 190 miles.

While not fast like Russia’s Kinzhal aerial ballistic missile , the five-meter-long Storm Shadow is noted for its high degree of stealth, AI-driven image-matching terminal guidance system, and bunker-busting two-stage warhead (as further detailed below). Because it’s entirely pre-programmed for its targets prior to takeoff, it should be easier to integrate onto Ukraine’s Soviet warplanes than other advanced Western guided weapons.

Western governments feared Ukraine might use long-range missiles for attacks on Russian soil deemed politically provocative, which could incite escalatory retaliation. That, along with limited inventory, has most notably kept the U.S. from donating 190-mile range ATACMS ballistic missiles that are ordinarily compatible with the HIMARS and M270 rocket artillery systems donated to Ukraine.

Wallace stated that the Storm Shadows were supplied with assurances from Ukraine that they would only be used for strikes on Russian-occupied parts of the country, such as logistical centers in Starobilsk and Melitopol.

But the real bullseye falls on Russia’s extensive military infrastructure on the Crimean Peninsula, including airbases and much of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Russia had leased bases in that area from Ukraine for two decades, only for Putin to invade the entire peninsula in 2014.

The politics of Donated Missiles

Given that the donation from the UK sounds like it was in limited quantity (“a number”), the UK’s Storm Shadow may effectively be more a political play than a military one, much like when the country donated Western-designed main battle tanks.

Though the latter quantity was relatively small— 14 Challenger 2 tanks —it may have helped end hesitation for much larger subsequent donations of Leopard 2 and M1 tanks from the U.S. and continental Europe. The UK has been less concerned by the ‘but how will Putin react?’ factor than France or Germany.

Fortunately for Ukraine, Storm Shadow donations are more likely to be scalable than the UK’s rare Challenger 2 tanks, as the missiles are also in France’s inventory—under the designation SCALP-EG—and Italy’s. Both are major donors to Ukraine. The French Navy also uses a longer-range ship-launched variant called the MdCn.

Western governments might see whether Middle Eastern Storm Shadow clients (Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) are amenable to quietly selling back missiles in exchange for newly-built replacements later. Those sold to the Middle East are believed to be a downgraded variant with 180-mile range sometimes dubbed the Black Shaheen—still potentially useful for Ukraine’s purposes.

britain aviation show aerospace manufacturing

Origins of Storm Shadow

Not to be confused with the G.I. Joe villain of the same name, Storm Shadow/SCALP is a French-U.K. joint venture built by European missile-maker MBDA and based on the Apache runway-cratering missile. It and Germany’s KEPD-350 air-launched cruise missile are the most numerous European-built equivalents to the U.S.’s arsenal of Tomahawk land-attack missiles , which have much longer range and are primarily (but not exclusively) sea-launched.

Storm Shadow doesn’t use any input from the carrying aircraft before or after launch. Instead, it’s pre-programmed on the ground to follow waypoints to the target area autonomously using inertial and GPS navigation—usually skimming at just 100-130 feet above the ground to further reduce radar detectability. Supported by pop-out wings, it flies just below the speed of sound powered by small TRI 60-30 turbojet engine and boasts a low radar-cross section due to its non-reflective geometry.

Once near the target, the missile lunges upwards–tossing off its pointy nose cone and exposing the infrared sensor within—and uses its elevated vantage to scan the ground below, searching for anything that resembles preloaded satellite images of the target using an early AI-driven technology called DSMAC (Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator.)

If the missile can’t find the target, it can be assigned a crash point so as not to risk collateral damage. But on finding a match, it swoops down and, just before impact, discharges the pre-cursor charge of its nearly half-ton (992-pound) BROACH warhead.

The armor-penetrating precursor blasts a hole into the target’s surface, allowing the larger main charge to pass inside the targeted structure before detonating—making BROACH effective against hardened targets like underground storage facilities and bunkers.

And while a Storm Shadow can go further and has a much larger warhead than a GMRL rocket, it’s also 4-5 times more expensive, so Ukraine will receive a far smaller number. That means each shot will have to count, and there won’t be an indefinite resupply of missiles, making avoiding interception even more pertinent.

Storm Shadow was first used in combat during the 2003 invasion of Iraq by now-retired British Tornado jets. France’s SCALP-EG missiles followed in 2011, deployed by Mirage 2000Ds and carrier-based Rafale-M jets in the campaign to overthrow Qaddafi in Libya. In the mid-2010s, the UK and France also employed the missiles against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and in strikes punishing the Syrian government for its use of chemical weapons.

Western Missiles on Soviet Warbirds

Storm Shadow/SCALP is designed to be lofted from aircraft, and has been integrated into Sweden’s JAS-39 Gripen fighter , France’s Mirage 2000 and newer Rafale fighters , and Tornado jets and newer Eurofighter Typhoons built by Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

But because Storm Shadows don’t require fire control instructions from the launching fighter, they should be comparatively easy to add onto the Ukrainian Air Force’s Soviet warplanes.

Ukraine has already managed to mount AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles on its MiG-29 jets , a modification likely enabled by the fact the HARM has a built-in seeker. Due to Storm Shadow’s considerable size and weight, it may seek to mount it on large-but-fast Su-24 Fencer bombers or Su-27 fighters.

ukrainian mig 29 firing agm 88 harm missile

Due to Storm Shadow’s considerable range, Ukrainian jets could release the missile from relatively safe airspace. That said, to delay/avoid detection by Russian ground-based radars and attack from an unpredictable angle, Ukraine may opt for launch from low altitude—even if that reduces the maximum range and requires getting closer. There may therefore still be some need to dodge patrolling Russian MiG-31 interceptors , and Su-35 fighters scanning from above and primed to launch very-long-range R-37M missile .

Theoretically, Ukraine could also cobble together means to ground-launch Storm Shadows, accepting a significantly reduced range.

Like most long-range cruise missiles, Storm Shadows are not cheap—probably costing around $1 million per shot. And most operators have inventories in the low-to-mid hundreds, not thousands, limiting how many they’re inclined to donate. Still, if the UK’s donations breaks the taboo on transferring long-range missiles to Ukraine, then multiple donors may help make up numbers—to an extent.

Long-range Strike Tactics

When, in the summer of 2022, Ukraine began using Western-supplied HIMAR systems to launch GMLR precision-guided rockets out to a range of 56 miles, it resulted in a succession of spectacularly destructive attacks on Russian HQs, airbases, and ammo depots.

Those spectacles declined in frequency after a few months, as the Russians learned their lesson and pushed vulnerable support structures back outside of HIMARS range—accepting a loss of efficiency for better survival odds. Russia also began employing GPS-jamming to throw off the aim of HIMARS and SDB glide bombs given to Ukraine.

In theory, then, Storm Shadow and similar weapons could give Ukrainian planners a second “happy period,” as Russian depots and HQs again fall into convenient precision-strike range—potentially devastating if timed to coincide with Ukraine’s anticipated 2023 counteroffensive.

And this time, those depots and command centers might have to relocate all the way to Russian soil to escape the Storm Shadow’s reach. That could especially threaten Russian forces in southern Ukraine, most distant from the Russian border.

But there are important differences to keep in mind. While Russian air defenses struggled to shoot down supersonic HIMARS rockets, Storm Shadow is a subsonic cruise missile—a class of weapon that Ukraine’s own air defense system has become efficient at shooting down.

Storm Shadow’s success—versus Russia’s technically superior air defenses—will depend in part on its stealth characteristics. Because the missile relies on image-matching instead of GPS for terminal guidance, it should at least be less degraded by Russian GPS jamming than HIMARS rockets.

Mena Adel, who writes on military aviation for Scramble magazine, told P opular Mechanics that tactics practiced by France and the UK using SCALP/Storm Shadow against Syria’s Soviet-built air defense systems offer a relevant model for Ukraine:

“The U.S., France and UK attacked with a sweeping attack by 4 different types of missiles, including [non-stealth] Tomahawk missiles which formed the largest part to disperse the Syrian air defense thereby reducing the chance of intercepting stealth missiles. All while monitored by Russian air defenses in Syria… It is certain that future attacks will be planned using different types of missile approach from different directions to deceive the Russian systems so that the desired targets are hit with great accuracy and a minimum interception rate. Stealthiness is not enough, success will depend on planning and deception.”

As Ukraine will not have nearly as many cruise missiles available, Adel suggested Ukraine might instead launch concerted attacks with drones and SDB glide bombs (both ground- and air-launched) supported by electronic warfare systems to confuse and overwhelm Russian air defenses.

Ukraine’s promise not to strike Russian soil with Western-supplied missiles could also inspire a false flag attack making it appear it has done so—a well-established tactic in Putin’s playbook . As Ukraine is sporadically attacking targets in Russia (mainly airbases, oil depots and electrical infrastructure) using agents and domestically-built drones and missiles, there could be grounds for confusion and misinformation.

Overall, Storm Shadow is a potent long-distance strike weapon Ukraine will have to employ judiciously for maximum effect—though even the likely modest number transferred to Ukraine will likely to cause anxiety to Russian logisticians, commanders, and air defense personnel.

Sébastien Roblin has written on the technical, historical, and political aspects of international security and conflict for publications including 19FortyFive, The National Interest, MSNBC, Forbes.com, Inside Unmanned Systems and War is Boring. He holds a Master’s degree from Georgetown University and served with the Peace Corps in China. You can follow his articles on Twitter .

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Comparing Taurus vs. Storm Shadow Missiles: Key Differences and Russian Countermeasures

In a recent development reported by Reuters, new information has come to light regarding the German government’s deliberation over the provision of extended-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine. This revelation, however, underscores a potential geopolitical risk, as these munitions possess the capacity to reach Russian territories. Consequently, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is actively exploring avenues to curtail the operational radius of these missiles, thereby effectively restricting their potential impact to Russian territories.

OverClockers, a Russian web portal, has conveyed insights from Ukraine’s envoy to Germany, Oleksiy Makeev, who has expressed dissent towards the concept of imposing constraints on the range of Taurus missiles. Makeev drew an analogy between the proposed range restrictions and the prohibition of a football team from advancing into the opposing side’s territory for penalty kicks, arguing that such limitations could prove counterproductive.

The discourse surrounding the potential delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine remains ongoing, with Ukraine actively soliciting support within the Bundestag for the acquisition of these advanced German long-range missiles. Addressing allegations of wavering determination in relation to the missile deployment, Chancellor Scholz has firmly asserted that his approach is rooted in prudence and circumspection, aimed at meticulously evaluating the implications of this substantial strategic move, as opposed to hasty and impulsive actions.

About the Taurus missile system

The Taurus missile system, a long-range air-to-surface ordnance, is a product of collaborative efforts between Taurus Systems GmbH— a partnership involving MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Saab Bofors Dynamics. With an operational reach exceeding 500 kilometers, this formidable weapon system is optimized for precision engagement against high-value targets.

The Taurus missile, measuring 5.1 meters in length and boasting a diameter of 1 meter, tips the scales at approximately 1,400 kilograms. Its payload capacity extends to a 500-kilogram warhead. The missile is equipped with a turbofan engine, enabling speeds of up to Mach 0.95.

Employing a fusion of inertial guidance and GPS navigation systems, the Taurus missile accurately homes in on its intended target. Additionally, its terrain reference system facilitates low-altitude flight trajectories, minimizing radar detection prospects. Evasion tactics further enhance the missile’s survivability by enabling it to dodge hostile air defense systems.

The Taurus missile has already demonstrated its operational prowess, having been effectively utilized by the German Air Force and the Spanish Air Force in combat scenarios spanning Afghanistan and Libya. Beyond these deployments, the munition has found export to South Korea, while other nations also contemplate its incorporation as a long-range striking asset.

A technological marvel, the Taurus missile system furnishes a robust deterrent against potential adversaries. Its extensive operational range and surgical precision confer it a pivotal role in bolstering aerial supremacy and safeguarding strategic interests for air forces seeking to project power effectively.

Comparing Taurus and Storm Shadow Missiles

The German Taurus missile and the British Storm Shadow missile are both cruise missiles tailored for aerial launch, conceived to infiltrate adversary air defenses and engage high-priority targets. These munitions share a payload capability of 500 kg and an operational reach extending beyond 500 km.

Yet, critical distinctions set these missiles apart. The Taurus missile is optimized for nap-of-the-earth flight trajectories, leveraging low altitudes to evade detection, whereas the Storm Shadow missile adopts elevated altitudes to evade hostile air defense systems.

In terms of guidance systems, the Taurus missile employs a terrain-following mechanism for navigation, while the Storm Shadow missile integrates a blend of GPS and inertial navigation systems.

Further divergence lies in their carrier platforms: the Taurus missile finds its host in the German Tornado fighter-bomber, whereas the Storm Shadow missile boasts compatibility with diverse British and French aircraft, encompassing the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale.

Assessing Russian Countermeasures against Taurus Missile

Russia has brought forth its indigenous missile defense solution, the S-400 Triumph system, engineered to intercept and neutralize incoming projectiles, including the German Taurus missile. The S-400 system’s operational scope spans up to 400 kilometers, with a capacity to engage targets soaring at altitudes reaching 30 kilometers. Augmented by advanced radar arrays, the system’s multitarget detection and tracking capabilities establish a formidable bulwark against potential missile threats.

Electronic warfare [EW] tactics represent another avenue for Russia to potentially counter the Taurus missile. Russia boasts a storied legacy in the development and deployment of advanced EW systems, meticulously crafted to disrupt and incapacitate enemy communication networks, radar installations, and other electronic apparatus. Through strategic application of EW systems, Russia could conceivably impair the Taurus missile’s guidance mechanisms, effectively neutralizing its efficacy.

Britain upgrading Tomahawk cruise missiles to ‘fly further’

The uk is spending £265 million to upgrade its submarine-launched tomahawk land attack missiles to block v standard, meaning the upgraded missiles “will be able to travel further and be less vulnerable”..

According to a news release , the upgraded missile will be able to travel further than the previous Block IV iteration, “maintaining a precision-strike capability that is unmatched in range and accuracy. The upgrade will also make the weapon less vulnerable to external threats, with modernised in-flight communication and target selection”.

The release also states:

“In a £265 million contract with the US Government, with maintenance and technical support at the UK sites of BAE Systems, Babcock International and Lockheed Martin, the Royal Navy’s Astute-Class submarines will be armed with an enhanced Block V standard missile, capable of striking severe threats at a range of up to 1,000 miles.”

Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin, was quoted as saying:

“This upgrade will equip our Astute-Class attack submarines with the one of the most lethal and precise long-range strike weapons. Enhancing this cutting-edge missile system will ensure the UK can strike severe threats up to 1,000 miles away.”

The Ministry of Defence say that the missiles will be upgraded as part of a Foreign Military Sale with the US Government, which was negotiated by the MoD’s procurement arm, Defence Equipment and Support and will be active from July.

According to the aforementioned news release , the Foreign Military Sale also includes missile maintenance, recertification of existing missiles, spares, operational flight testing, software, hardware and training provisions. Due to be operational in the mid-2020s, the upgraded Tomahawk will align with the delivery of the latest Astute submarines.

You can read more about the news here.

What is Tomahawk?

The American-built Tomahawk missile, also known as TLAM, allows Royal Navy submarines of the Astute and Trafalgar class to strike at targets on land accurately at a range of around 1,000 miles. The missile is a highly accurate, GPS-enabled weapon that the US and allied militaries have used more than 2,000 times in combat, and flight-tested 500 times, say the manufacturer.

Britain’s 1,000 mile punch – The Tomahawk cruise missile

The missile has been in use with the Royal Navy since the late 1990s and has been used in the Kosovo conflict and in the campaigns against the Taliban, Saddam Hussein and Gaddafi. The missile is fired from a boat’s torpedo tubes. Once it reaches the surface, a booster rocket ignites to propel the missile skywards. Tomahawk then heads for its target at 550 mph, delivering a 1,000 lb explosive warhead.

You can read more about the missile here.

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Let’s hope that the deal may include the ability to attack ships too. It’s going to be a bit of a wait until we get a newer Anti-Surface capability. This could go some way to bridging the impending gap…?

devils in the details

Beginning in 2020, the U.S. Navy will recertify and modernize the missile, extending its service life by 15 years, and resulting in the new Tomahawk Block V series:

Block V: A modernized TACTOM with upgraded navigation and communication
Block Va: Block V that can strike moving targets at sea
Block Vb: Block V, with a joint multi-effects warhead that can hit more diverse land targets

Thanks expat👍 Indeed it is, let’s hope the detail is well understood and suitably applied🤞

Hope Block five’s GPS comes with a Door knocker for Vlads Dacha in the country

Hi expat, thanks for providing the breakdown. Upgrading to Block V standard is good news, it’s in-keeping with Tony Radakin’s talk of improving the Navy’s lethality but do you happen to know which of the variants you list our Navy will take up? I take it, whether it is Va or Vb it will come with the modernised TACTOM, navigation and communication as standard but will we get the version that strikes moving targets at sea or will it enable us to hit more diverse land targets etc …. or both?

This is somewhat clearer. From what’s announced about old block IV, it’s the V we’ll get. Thstvssid, I’m still not sure ftom the article if the ‘Block V fork into Va or Vb’ is applicable to IV upgrades or new purchases. Either way, Tomahawk makes a logical interim for RN at the very least. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a34979788/new-block-v-tomahawk-cruise-missile/

‘That said’ Haven’t even opened a beer yet!

Thanks mate👍

Course Russia’s just successfully tested the Zircon hypersonic on a ship target out 600 mls (1000 kms). The missile took just 6-7 minutes to reach it. Don’t know how favourably or otherwise the test was set up, but expect very favourable. Zircon not stealthy, of course, but manouverable and little reaction time. Still, Tomahawk can outrange it without being seen ’til late, and article indicates it’s possibly cleverer. Rgs

Indeed! I think we have to err on the side of caution with these test results, but I’m sure with enough effort(add investment & inclination) we will be able to come up with something to counter the new missile offerings from Russia🤞

US thought to be significantly further along hypersonic development curve than generally acknowledged.

Yes they are they have been studying this area for some 30 years but S with so much else the ‘peace dividend’ slowed up the work over the last decade or more but all the knowledge and capability is already there and much of what they are involved in is a generation ahead of the opposition and now that it’s being rapidly fast tracked within 5 years they will be well ahead of Russia though China should never be underestimated especially with their ability to steal others efforts.

First US hypersonics should be in initial service next year though there may of course be delays but will be markedly cleverer higher spec than what Russia possesses once they are in operational. The capacity to produce and field them will no doubt soon outpace Russia too thereafter so the capability gap is unlikely to last long. Equally they aren’t as presently fielded actually ‘wonder’ weapons whatever the media hype they just make defending against them trickier in an environment however when we has seen from Moskva defending against far slower weapons is hardly reliable so it’s only a marginal … Read more »

Thank you spyinthesky 👍

It was interesting to note the type of aircraft used for the test and carrier-based.

“According to DARPA, in the new test the missile was released from a “carrier aircraft,” was boosted by a scramjet engine and then “quickly accelerated to and maintained cruise faster than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) for an extended period of time. The vehicle reached altitudes greater than 65,000 feet and flew for more than 300 nautical miles.”

https://breakingdefense.com/2022/04/us-hypersonic-missile-successful-in-flight-test-darpa-says/

The carrier aircraft was a B-52 and this was the fourth and first successful test. Whether any ‘black’ tests are ongoing with a different hypersonic weapon are of course unknown.

I think you’ll find that its manoeuvrability is proportional to its speed, i.e. the faster it goes the less manoeuvrable it gets.

Probably take a while to sort out all the hype.

This may add to the debate: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-physics-and-hype-of-hypersonic-weapons/

If its like the other tests it hit a moored barge at sea. So it took off , flew fast , dived down and hit a GPS coordinate. Absolute world leading and ground breaking tech that nobody else can do….Errr hang on…

Absolutely!

You are correct, it was a barge. Not sure what else could match that flight profile fired from a ship.

What is it with the fashion for ‘lethal’ as a description for everything now?

Would it not be cheaper just to procure new block v missiles to supplement those already in service ?

Then you have the cost of disposing or storing the old missiles.

£265 sounds like an awful lot of money to spend to upgrade ~100 missiles which cost £1M each. So I think we are buying more as well, probably doubling inventory, and updating launch systems on the subs.

It might, just might, include getting something on a surface ship to replace Harpoon?

There’s nothing in the US FMS release that indicates we’re increasing the stockpile (which is somewhere between 60-80 missiles). The request would have to list if there was additional missiles added in I’m afraid. This looks like a full contract to recertify them, upgrade and support until they go out of service.

I think your assessment is pretty much on the money IMO. Can’t really see any version other than the Blk V missile either, although upgrading some to either the Va or Vb is a possibility, but unlikely.

There is something very expensive in that package. Probably software for the terrain following mode.

Another reason why more and more weapons are being built without US bits in them?

Could it be a hush hush upgrade and extra quantity? 70 TLAMs across 5-7 subs is bugger all. If a conflict ever erupted those would surely be used up in no time at all and then we’re left with no buffer replenishment stick unless there’s some easy access to US stocks? Do we know of any US TLAM successor being planned for or will the FC/ASW also be sub based as I imagine that the French would want that for their subs to replace Scalp?

No I’m afraid it couldn’t. The FMS process is a legal thing, any additional sales of missiles would need to be listed.

US is working on a Tomahawk successor, but its likely that FCASW will fill that role for the UK. The MdCN is very new so the French might not need a replacement really quickly however.

A NL tweet alludes to us having 65 TLAMs, not sure how accurate that figure is, but fits in with @RBoys estimate of between 60-80 missiles. It would be interesting to know if some were being upgraded to Blk Va/Vb standard too, although personally think that’s unlikely.

Hey Deep, Reading Raytheon’s press release on Blk V in 2020 it made it sound like you had 3 versions, V which sounds like a direct upgrade on IV with no ‘new’ ability just improvements. VA which appears to be a Blk V Anti-ship versions with a software changes to flight profile and moving target adjustment added, VB appears to be using the joint munitions warhead against hardened structure. To me it read as if you could have V now and VA or VB were future extras to improve your new Blk V as you wished. If I’ve totally misread … Read more »

That’s not much stock. Crikey, I was expecting 100-200!

If you trawl through all the references to UK and TLAM over the years, you come up with a figure of 212 (ish) that we have purchased. There are slight variations in the numbers that we have fired, depending on where you look, but I agree with @RBs total of some 60-80 left, so 65 is certainly a credible figure for remaining TLAM. £265 million is an expensive upgrade for 65 missiles, I know it also includes support and maintenance as well as mods to both missile and kit, but still!!

I have to say I was shocked by the value as it doesn’t appear to include new munitions. The only thing I think that can justify it is if it includes all support/training etc until retirement. Otherwise it sounds bonkers…

Yes, have got to agree reference the lifetime support/trg and upgrades. Mind, if we use them up in the next 4-5 years say, will look even more expensive. If the 65 figure is correct (can’t see it not being so), then it works out at a tad under £4mill a missile. Given that they cost approx £1 mill a pop, go figure why it didn’t include new ones……

I was just thinking that too, if it includes additional missile stock both sub and ship launched with the MK41s needing filling. TLAM v5s seem to be really good value and still very effective even in replacing any other interim AShM option. Aren’t they missing something by not putting 2xMK41s onto the T45s too post current pip upgrades ? The space is already there! CAMM can go down the sides?

Could dispose of the old ones with exercises, tests, give some to boffins to see what they can do with it etc. I know a guy who will take anything at a scrap yard. The $1 million figure is most likely the cheapest possible sale price. Things get more expensive when you add in all the manuals, systems, servicing, training etc etc. As the U.K. are the only export customer there is nothing to compare prices to. My guess work would put a max of 32 on an astute leaving space for 4-6 spearfish torpedoes. Tomahawk to take out what … Read more »

Two ways the TLAM’s range can be extended. The first is by improving the efficiency of the engine. The second more likely method is to reduce the warhead size, leaving more space to increase the fuel volume.

Or miniaturised avionics, so a smaller bay, leaving more space for a bigger fuel tank. Or flight software to improve the responsiveness to flight turbulence and manouevers by the control surfaces, therefore maintaining the most efficient flight profile. Longer winglets maybe, But you are probably right, a more compact warhead seems likely.

Engine efficiency has improved a lot as has warhead efficiency in recent times.

The shell of the missile could also be made from more advanced composites freeing up weight that way.

The AGM-158 family of missiles are a good example of a missile body with the same overall dimensions.

The original JASSM had a reported range of 370km, JASSM-ER has a reported range of 930km and the Naval LRASM has a reported range of 560km.

Faster computing could also result in faster reaction to air pressure and movement of the fins which would result in less drag and better fuel efficiency. Lots of ways they could get a little extra here and there, no details of how much extra range it gives.

Could even be that after firing a load off over the last few years, the actual range of the missile has been discovered to be higher and so the official operating range has been increased to match, with no actual changes to hardware.

I think it is an improved turbo fan looking at press releases.

The anti ship version seems to have half the range suggesting a bigger/more complex warhead?

Another way to increase range is to increase the energy density of the fuel.

What with the T45 upgrades and this TLAM upgrade you could almost think the MOD is spending money wisely. Here’s another prudent decision… https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/british-army-rules-out-jltv-acquisition/

That’s the Oshkosh one, right? I thought they’d go for that. What do you prefer? Souped-up Foxhounds? Quadbikes?

This isn’t an example of spending money wisely. Isn’t it just another example of failing to spend money at all?

They are skipping the phase 1 acquisition which is command, laison and logistic vehicles. Essentially battlefield jeeps. They may move straight to the phase 2 troop transport i.e. Boxer and backfill the requirement for phase 1 with more Boxers.

That’s a v expensive battlefield jeep if they go for Boxers for Phase 1. Can’t see it myself, purely on financial grounds. Was the original requirement not for some 1700 vehicles in Phase 1? Even the ‘basic’ non fighty version of Boxer is something like £5mill a go, way to steep for our purse. If they do decide to go that route, can’t see them buying anywhere near that amount. Perhaps they are going to consider something based on the Supacat 400/600 series instead!

More Foxhound for the light duties and Boxer for the logistic duties. Foxhounds were about £0.9-1.1m each a decade ago depending on order size, so more likely £1.3/1.4m now. UK paid £4m on average for its last batch of Boxers of various configurations. The Okhosh/JPTV offer had a driveaway price of £300k before UK government furnished upgrades were applied (e.g. radios, weapons and other equipment).

Foxhound and Boxer are actually both part of the same program. It seems for the light un-protected role the options were JLTV or more Foxhound. Theres a really good overview here:

https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/multi-role-vehicle-protected-mrv-p/

Cheers, yes have read it. There is another similar article over on UK Land Power ‘Re-thinking the UKs MRV -P requirements ‘ basically utilising Supacat series and or the Foxhound/Ocelot variants to fulfill the Phase 1-3 roles. It’s a pretty good read too. I still think Boxer is far too expensive a battle taxi for this role, but you never know, stranger things have happened!!

Wasn’t that a TD update to the article Watcherzero linked? https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/rethinking-the-multi-role-vehicle-protected-programme/

In any event, the TD re-think article makes some good observations.

Yes it was mate.

There is a motor platoon for a Scots reg near my house with foxhounds and they sound like a beast. When one broke down on the road they let my son sit in it. Seemed nice enough at the front. I only saw the drivers side looking from the road. They have some man trucks and land rovers but they don’t have the same meanness. The few mastiffs have gone now or are in the sheds.

From first hand experience the armour also works. Normally after the teething issues we had in Afghan they were very reliable.

Per Watchers post I think what’s happening is a kind of ‘can it be done with a Boxer’ approach? I’m all for minimising the number of types. Generally try to standardize as far as makes sense. This reduces both purchase program costs and running costs. It simplifies logistics and training and increases availability. Boxer would also create more UK jobs.

If they wanted to boost British industry, I’d have expected Supacat to get the job.

I like the Boxers but they’re more than a bit overspecified even for phase 2, aren’t they? And the mind boggles when considering fuel efficiency. It would be a real coup if they could get the price point low enough that the general APC would be the same as the direct fire APC.

I don’t know Jon. Actually I suspect the Army and the MOD don’t know either. The cancellation of WCSP and the delay / possible cancellation of Ajax has thrown a spanner in the works and must be causing a certain focussing of the mind. Decisions have been made on C3 and GMRLS but I reckon requirements for everything else – Warrior replacement, tracked and towed artillery, other vehicles, is being re-assessed; re-evaluating ways of fighting in light of Ukraine. Things will clarify when we know the fate of Ajax.

“This lethality upgrade will make a lethal weapon even more lethal than it already was. Launched from our lethal aircraft carrier hybrids*, the lethal..er Tommyhawk missiles will certainly enhance our already lethal capabilities and ensure the Royal Navy remains at the cutting-edge of deploying lethal weapon systems or lethal effect. This is about achieving a lethal, dynamic and adaptable navy. Although we only have one ship, it has the capabilities of 5 aircraft carriers, 10 Type 45 destroyers, 11 Type 26 frigates and 3 Astute class submarines. It can also carry our one helicopter, making it a truly lethal asset.” … Read more »

Impressive, considering it is only Tuesday!

Bloody politicians.

They are only clearing their desks for the long weekend 😉

You missed out the most important bit. Agile. 😐

A career in politics is on the cards for you Sir!

i’d like to see the u.k design and deploy a clubk like system. most modern conflicts begin with a cruise missile barrage. with the exception of the ssn the fleet cannot deploy a long range strike maybe a iso container sized weapon ocated on all the ship, in particularly the carrier escorts would significatley improve the ‘punch’ of a u.k battle group as it stands the u.k bttle group can present the f 35b and ssn launched based tomahawk missiles. otherwise that about it a carrier group needs to be a fearsome tool. as it is i fear its a … Read more »

Storm shadow and it’s replacement

We need a missile where we cannot be seen firing at the enemy and we need to go back to firing missiles from under water.

As for the Tomahawk missile it maybe precision guilded missiles but it has not got the distance like Zircon or Satan2 missiles has got to do much damage from 1000 miles out.

As other ships and submarines could be identified as upto no good and they could be stopped.

Woah there. Satan 2 is an ICBM, unless you are complete fruitcake you will never use it, as it will set off a nuclear reprisal from NATO, if it’s ever used against a NATO member. For that, the UK will use a bunch of Trident 2 D5s. Zircon, is bloody huge, its published length is 9m, compared to TLAM’s 5m. Zircon has to be huge, so that it carry the necessary fuel to give it a decent range and to allow it to go hypersonic. It can only realistic do hypersonic speeds above 80,000ft. Otherwise at very low level it … Read more »

Err… we currently fire Tomahawks from under water, so your first statement is utter tosh.

Tomahawk works. Given the Russians are currently experiencing 20% to 50% failure rate on their in-service missiles I’d hate to imagine the failure rate on something as new and unproven as Zircon.

Old Soviet era anti ship missiles that are still in service fly at m4.5 but only at high altitudes. As they dive down air resistance slows them and the manoeuvrability is reduced due to the high speeds increasing G forces. A small control surface movement at high speed = a big movement of the missile and a high G loading. Satan is a super heavy ICBM. If that thing ever cold launches and the motor fires I will be found sitting down with Mrs GB and a very expensive glass of artisan crafted rum whilst waiting for the flash and … Read more »

At least you won’t need to worry about lighting the BBQ.

TLAM is not comparable to an ICBM! 😀

I’m sure given its accuracy TLAM can do plenty of damage, especially if several dozen of them land on your airfield.

Indeed, the Russian version of the TLAM is the Kaliber.

Zircon has a scramjet engine for cruise. It will only work above Mach 4-5 and higher altitudes. Zircon is meant to fly to the target at upto Mach 9. As it gets to the area that it needs to come down from high altitude the engine would have to be shut off as it won’t work with higher air density. If kept running it would blow itself to pieces. So now you have a very fast unpowered weapon. The forces involved at high speeds are massive. While It’s stated that it can manoeuvre , it won’t be sudden direction changes. … Read more »

Good comment. The Zircon is essentially an Onyx with improved materials for higher speed flight, revised aerodynamic shape, the replacement of the ramjet motor with a scramjet and new higher energy fuel. This plus the need for it to use the UKSK VLS is what governs its size and so use in all kinds of potential hosts. It is designed to fly at 40km or higher over 1000 to 1500km with a flight time for 1000km of about 10 minutes. Although it is assumed that it will do a near vertical drop onto a target the only shots of it … Read more »

Are you excited about it? It will mean that Putin can kill more civvies, although the ground troops will be disappointed as they would prefer to rape the women and torture the men before they die! So, firstly any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine and, would you like to lay out your stall and stop pretending to be impartial, and have the balls to commit to your agenda and back up your support for the invasion. Stop being a coward!

Just please leave me alone. If you have to make a comment why not make a constructive one relevant to the topic.

I think that’s what the Ukraine people are saying to your fav Russian rapists!

I suspect from you continuing to mention it probably means that you missed the news earlier in the week that the Ukrainian Rada, their parliament, has, after an investigation, just fired their Ombudsman for Human Rights for, amongst other things, publishing stories about Russian soldiers raping Ukrainians with out any real evidence, basically fabricated tales.

Your answering in your own echo chamber pal! Any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine yet?

Hellooooo? Can’t hear any condemnation yet, so, you support it then as we all knew! Just be nice if you had the courage to admit your beliefs!

Send one over to Russia before he sends his nuck over here.

Nobody is afraid of the Royal navy 🤣🤣🤣🤣💣

Nobody with more than 1 million followers; that’s what really matters, right?

“GPS-enabled weapon” – Is GPS reliable in a war situation?

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Tomahawk y Storm Shadow, misiles con muchas batallas
Storm Shadow Missile Vs Tomahawk! Which Reigns Supreme?
MILITARY: Storm Shadow missile infographic
Storm Shadow Missile Vs Tomahawk! Which Reigns Supreme?
Storm Shadow Missile
Submarine Matters: Tomahawk Cruise Missiles and Friends Hitting ISIS

COMMENTS

Storm Shadow
The Storm Shadow is a Franco-British low-observable, long-range air-launched cruise missile developed since 1994 by Matra and British Aerospace, and now manufactured by MBDA. [6] " Storm Shadow" is the weapon's British name; in France it is called SCALP-EG (which stands for "Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée - Emploi Général"; English: "Long Range Autonomous Cruise Missile ...
The US Navy has an upgraded Tomahawk: Here's 5 things you should know
3. Subsonic is a feature, not a bug. With all the emphasis on supersonic and hypersonic missiles and with the improvements in air defenses, that might make Tomahawk seem like a fuddy-duddy by ...
Storm Shadow Missile Vs Tomahawk! Which Reigns Supreme?
Range and Payload. One significant contrast between the Storm Shadow and Tomahawk missiles lies in their range and payload capabilities. The Storm Shadow has an operational range of over 250 miles, while the Tomahawk boasts an impressive range of up to 1,500 miles. This stark difference in range can be a crucial factor when deciding which ...
Top Air-to-Surface Missiles: Long Range and Precision Strikes
Storm Shadow/SCALP - 250km A Tornado GR4 aircraft of the UK Royal Air Force carrying two Storm Shadow missiles under the fuselage. Image courtesy of Geoff Lee/MOD. The Storm Shadow/SCALP is a long-range deep strike missile designed by MBDA to meet the challenging needs of pre-programmed strikes against high-value fixed and mobile land-based ...
Why Germany's Taurus is Europe's most-wanted long-range missile
The Taurus cruise missiles, fired by fighter jets, are roughly the same length and weight as the UK's Storm Shadow and France's Scalp-EG. What really sets the German missile apart is its ...
Everything To Know About Tomahawk Missiles: Speed, Cost, And
It fired a total of 28 cruise missiles, in addition to its 16-inch deck guns. The submarines USS Louisville and USS Pittsburgh launched Tomahawks in 1991 at targets in Iraq and became the first ...
Tomahawk Cruise Missile > United States Navy > Displayy-FactFiles
The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is an all-weather, long range, subsonic cruise missile used for deep land attack warfare, launched from U. S. Navy surface ships and U.S. Navy and United
A Short History of the Cruise Missile
The Tomahawk missile was the first cruise missile fired in anger. ... The war in Ukraine has also seen the use of two European cruise missiles, the U.K.'s Storm Shadow and the French SCALP ...
Aerospaceweb.org
The Storm Shadow was designed to meet a British and French requirement for an air-launched long-range precision-guided cruise missile incorporating stealth characteristics and able to penetrate hardened targets. The British requirement was issued by the Royal Air Force under the name Conventionally Armed Stand Off Missile (CASOM), and the ...
Cruise missile
A BGM-109 Tomahawk flying in November 2002. A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided vehicle that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path and whose primary mission is to place an ordnance or special payload on a target. [1] Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high precision.
How U.K.'s Storm Shadow Missiles Sent to Ukraine Compare to ...
Storm Shadow is a long-range, air-launched attack missile manufactured by France-based MBDA Systems, mainly for the U.K. and French armed forces. It can be operated in extreme conditions in both ...
Tomahawk (missile family)
Tomahawk (missile family) The BGM-109 Tomahawk ( / ˈtɒməhɔːk /) Land Attack Missile ( TLAM) is a long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile that is primarily used by the United States Navy and Royal Navy in ship and submarine-based land-attack operations. Developed at the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins ...
Storm Shadow
Airhawk was a shortened BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile. It was fitted with a Thomson Thorn Lancer penetrating warhead, with an overall length of 4.66m. Weight was 907 kg with a reported range of 600 km. ... Storm Shadow missiles which were contracted for in 1997 are now held on the Ministry of Defence's balance sheet at a value of some £ ...
Ukraine's Storm Shadow Missile Is Effective, but Russia Is Adapting
The Storm Shadow cruise missile is the latest highly touted weapon employed by Ukraine. The missile has been effective, striking important targets deep inside Russian-held territory. But Russian ...
British Cruise Missiles Foreshadow Storms in Ukraine
The UK has sent Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, which have a range of 155 miles and some stealth features. They are less powerful than Tomahawk missiles, but harder to jam and shoot down, and may create new challenges for Russian defenses.
U.K. Gives Ukraine the Storm Shadow: Long-Range Missile Details
It and Germany's KEPD-350 air-launched cruise missile are the most numerous European-built equivalents to the U.S.'s arsenal of Tomahawk land-attack missiles, which have much longer range and ...
How the Storm Shadow missile maker launched a new model of defence co
The lucrative order for the air-launched missile called Storm Shadow, and its French version Scalp, was key to cementing a groundbreaking marriage between the UK and France formed by the merger of ...
Comparing Taurus vs. Storm Shadow Missiles: Key Differences and Russian
The German Taurus missile and the British Storm Shadow missile are both cruise missiles tailored for aerial launch, conceived to infiltrate adversary air defenses and engage high-priority targets. These munitions share a payload capability of 500 kg and an operational reach extending beyond 500 km.
Britain has delivered long-range 'Storm Shadow' cruise missiles to
The United Kingdom has delivered multiple "Storm Shadow" cruise missiles to Ukraine, giving the nation a new long-range strike capability in advance of a highly anticipated counteroffensive ...
Russia Has Captured Europe's Most Advanced Cruise Missile: Implications
An Anglo-French Storm Shadow cruise missile has been captured largely intact by Russian forces in Ukraine, as confirmed by footage released since July 5. ... Tomahawk Tsar's Wolves Storm Shadow Dmitry Rogozin Ukrainian Air Force Su-24M Kh-59MK2 Russian-Ukrainian War New Western-Russian Cold War British Military Intervention in Ukraine ...
Britain upgrading Tomahawk cruise missiles to 'fly further'
The UK is spending £265 million to upgrade its submarine-launched Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles to Block V standard, meaning the upgraded missiles "will be able to travel further and be less vulnerable". According to a news release, the upgraded missile will be able to travel further than the previous Block IV iteration, "maintaining a ...
UK confirms supply of Storm Shadow long-range missiles in Ukraine
The Storm Shadow cruise missile has a range of over 250km (155 miles), according to the manufacturer. By contrast, the US-supplied Himars missiles used by Ukraine only have a range of around 80 km ...
"Storm Shadow" is just the beginning: What other missiles could be
The United Kingdom was the first to announce the planned delivery of Storm Shadow cruise missiles to ... The German-Swedish Taurus KEPD 350 is a true analog of the Storm Shadow. This missile has a ...