Tomahawk for Ukraine. Invulnerable missile

There have been no cases of exporting land-based installations from which these missiles can be launched, and Ukraine does not have its own suitable ships and submarines.

The New York Times says a secret part of President Vladimir Zelensky’s so-called victory plan calls for the United States to move Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, which can reach Russian targets more than 2,000 kilometers away. the distance. American officials, who spoke to The New York Times on condition of anonymity, called the request for Tomahawk missiles completely impossible.

Unique weapon

The Tomahawk entered service with the US Army and Navy in 1983, at the height of the Cold War. It immediately became clear that among the weapons of deterrence it was one of the most effective.

A subsonic missile can reach speeds of up to 900 kilometers per hour, but it is nearly impossible to shoot it down or influence its course using electronic warfare. The main reason is the very low flight altitude, literally above the tops of trees and roofs of houses. And a sustainer turbojet engine has very little thermal radiation.

The Tomahawk can have a high-explosive fragmentation or cluster warhead and be an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.

In 2021, the US Navy received from Raytheon the first batch of Tomahawk missiles in the Block V configuration, its range is more than 1,600 km, it is equipped with modern guidance and communication equipment.

“Tomahawk Block Va will work in several modes and independently” identify targets. In addition, the missile can now be retargeted in the air. Another version of the missile, the Tomahawk Block Vb, is designed to destroy stationary targets… It is known that it has a high penetration capability for the destruction of fortifications, for example, underground bunkers, ” writes Defense Express.

This missile is one of the main strike forces of the US fleet; it is armed with Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, as well as Ohio, Seawolf and Los Angeles submarines.

Lack of air defense power

During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the US Navy used 297 Tomahawks, only two of which were shot down by Iraqi air defenses. True, a dozen missiles did not leave the launchers due to various shortcomings.

In Europe, the Tomahawk was used during the Bosnian War and during the NATO operation in Yugoslavia More than 200 missiles were used during the Odyssey Dawn campaign in Libya (2011).

Each time the air defense failed to counter these missiles – only a few units were shot down.

Ukraine can buy a certain number of missiles. The FY 2024 Tomahawk Block V cost for the US Navy is $1.8 million per unit. In the export version (for the Japanese Navy) – 4.25 million.

More than enough missiles were produced—several thousand at least.

How to launch?

But Ukraine does not have submarines or large ships from which to launch these missiles. And there is no suitable water area under our control either. And the latest Typhon ground-based installation, which the United States, in particular, is planning to place in Germany, is not intended for export.

Second, Tomahawk missiles are for sale, but not for everyone, Defense Express notes. Since 1983, their only operator other than the USA has been the UK. In 2023, only two countries received permission to buy – Japan and Australia. The Netherlands was not granted permission.