BGM-109 Tomahawk Specs, Variants, Cost and Operators

The BGM-109 Tomahawk is an American long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile, built by Raytheon (an RTX business) and fired from ships, submarines and ground launchers. The current Block V version adds a maritime strike capability to the land-attack role, and the US Navy has just placed a $22.9 billion, seven-year order to raise output.

Tomahawk is used by the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and the Netherlands, according to Wikipedia. Unit cost is about $2.5 million for a US Block V (FY2026 figure) and about $4 million for an export missile (FY2023), and Raytheon says the missile has been deployed operationally more than 2,350 times.

What Is the BGM-109 Tomahawk Cruise Missile?

Tomahawk was developed in the 1970s with Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and first saw combat on 17 January 1991 in the Gulf War, when USS Paul F. Foster fired it. General Dynamics, McDonnell Douglas and Hughes built it in turn, and Raytheon has been the sole supplier since 1995 (Wikipedia).

What Are the Tomahawk Block IV, Block V and Maritime Strike Variants?

Block III, introduced in 1993, added GPS and a smaller warhead. Block IV followed in 2006 with a two-way satellite data link that lets operators retarget the missile in flight, and Raytheon says Block V extends service life by 15 years from the Block IV baseline. The Navy is buying Block V, which The Defense Post describes as adding maritime strike while keeping the land-attack role (Raytheon, The Defense Post).

How Is Tomahawk Launched? VLS, Submarines and Typhon

The missile fits the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System on cruisers and destroyers, and submarines fire it from torpedo tubes or capsule launchers on Los Angeles and Virginia-class boats. The US Army now also fires it from the Typhon launcher, the Mid-Range Capability that pairs a Lockheed Martin launcher with Tomahawk and SM-6. Germany is weighing a Typhon and Tomahawk purchase, which we covered in a separate report.

The Iowa-class battleships once carried armoured box launchers, but they are decommissioned.

Which Countries Operate the Tomahawk?

Japan signed for up to 400 missiles between fiscal 2025 and 2027. In May 2026 the Financial Times reported that Washington warned deliveries could slip by as much as two years, after the US fired more than 1,000 of an estimated 3,100 Tomahawks against Iran, according to an April CSIS analysis (Adnkronos). Tokyo’s other stand-off option is covered in our explainer on the Type 12 missile.

How Much Does a Tomahawk Cost?

Wikipedia lists $1.87 million for a Block IV in FY2017 and $2.5 million for a Block V in FY2026, plus $4 million for exports in FY2023. Japan’s $2.35 billion package for 400 missiles works out at roughly $5.9 million a round (analysis: the package price also covers items beyond the missiles, so this is not a unit price).

Recent Orders and Raytheon Production

On 17 August 2026 the Navy awarded Raytheon a $22.9 billion, seven-year contract that supports an annual production ramp to more than 1,000 Tomahawks, and the company said it delivered three times as many in the first half of 2026 as in the first half of 2025 (Raytheon, Naval News). Our earlier report on the contract puts the current rate at about 60 a year. Raytheon President Phil Jasper called Tomahawk “the Navy’s most important strike weapon”.

Background matters here. The Wikipedia entry records a record wartime use of more than 1,000 missiles in Operation Epic Fury against Iran from 28 February 2026, more than the 802 fired in the 2003 Iraq invasion. Raytheon’s parent has also won other volume deals, such as the $20.7 billion AMRAAM contract, and its scale is set out in the RTX company profile. Japan’s ship-side demand is visible in the Aegis order for its new missile defense ships.

Tomahawk History Timeline

Raytheon Company Profile

Tomahawk Missile FAQ

How far can a Tomahawk fly?

About 1,600 km for Block IV per Wikipedia, and Raytheon says it can strike from 1,000 miles away.

How fast is a Tomahawk?

It is subsonic, at about Mach 0.74.

How much does a Tomahawk missile cost?

About $2.5 million for a US Block V in FY2026, and about $4 million for an export missile in FY2023.

Who makes the Tomahawk?

Raytheon, an RTX business, which has been the sole supplier since 1995.

Who uses Tomahawk missiles?

The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and the Netherlands.

What is the Tomahawk Maritime Strike variant?

Block Va, which lets the missile hit moving ships as well as fixed land targets.

Can Tomahawk be fired from land?

Yes. The US Army fires it from the Typhon launcher.

How many Tomahawks will Raytheon build?

The Navy contract supports a ramp to more than 1,000 a year over seven years.