The Tomahawk cruise missile is a long-range, precision strike weapon capable of hitting targets over 1,000 miles away, even in defended airspace. The current Block IV model features in-flight retargeting and loitering capabilities. The latest Block V upgrades include improved navigation, anti-ship targeting (Va), and a versatile warhead for land targets (Vb). With over 2,350 operational uses, including recent strikes in Yemen, the Tomahawk remains a trusted tool for U.S. and allied forces. They write:

The Tomahawk cruise missile is a precision weapon that launches from ships, submarines, and ground launchers and can strike targets precisely from 1,000 miles away, even in heavily defended airspace.

Block IV

The most recent version, called the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk, or TACTOM, has a data link that allows it to switch targets while in flight. It can loiter for hours and change course instantly on command.

Block V

In 2020, the U.S. Navy began recertifying and modernizing the Block IV 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.

U.S. and Allied militaries have flight-tested the GPS-enabled Tomahawk over 550 times and used it in an operational environment more than 2,350 times. Its most recent use came in 2024, when the U.S. and U.K. Navies launched Tomahawk missiles at Houthi rebel sites in Yemen.

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