A team of British engineers based in Portsmouth has successfully demonstrated a new type of…
US approves sale of 220 Tomahawk missiles to Australia
The State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia of 220 Tomahawk Block V and Block IV All Up Rounds (AUR) and related equipment for a total estimated cost of US$895 million ($1.3 billion). The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.
The RGM-109E variant, known as Tactical Tomahawk or Tactical land Attack Missile (TLAM), is designed for multiple target types, including fixed and mobile defence systems. It has a two-way SATCOM datalink that enables in-flight re-targeting and a loiter capability. This weapon has a reported range of more than 1600km, flies at an altitude of 30-50m and has a high sub-sonic maximum speed reported as Mach 0.74 or about 900km/h
The Australian government announced in September 2021 that the country would acquire Tomahawk missiles for the RAN’s Hobart-class destroyers, at the same time announcing that the RAN would also acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines (see EX2 last week).
It is understood this initial purchase will be for the RAN’s fleet of destroyers and frigates; it isn’t clear what further modifications to the Collins-class submarine’s combat system may be necessary before these vessels can fire an RGM-109E.
The Government of Australia has requested to buy up to 200 RGM-109E Tomahawk Block V AUR and up to 20 Tomahawk Block IV AUR. Also included is support for all three segments of Australia’s Tomahawk Weapon System (TWS) to include the All Up Round (AUR), the Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) and the Theater Mission Planning Center (TMPC).
The support consists of unscheduled missile maintenance; spares; procurement; training; in-service support; software; hardware; communication equipment; operational flight test; engineering and technical expertise to maintain the TWS capability; and other related elements of logistical and program support.
The prime US contractor will be Raytheon Missiles and Defense.
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