The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile is now a key weapon system for Royal Navy Fleet Submarines, having made its UK operational debut during the Kosovo campaign in 1999, successfully fired from HMS Splendid.

The UK is the only country to operate the system outside of the United States.  The missile was first successfully test-fired from HMS Splendid in November 1998.  Targeting data can be passed from Fleet Headquarters at Northwood to a submarine anywhere in the world via satellite links.  New software has been introduced to improve interoperability between the US and Royal Navies, and proven in a recent test-firing.

The weapon system is highly accurate, capable of delivering a warhead with pinpoint precision and lethality to a carefully selected target hundreds of miles away.  The missile is launched underwater from a torpedo tube, allowing the submarine to remain undetected.  Flying low-level at high subsonic speeds, and with a low radar signature, the missile is a particularly difficult target for even sophisticated air defence systems to detect or engage.  It navigates to its target using the satellite Global Positioning System and the Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation system.

Related items
> Press Notice (8 August 2001)

> Press Notice (18 November 1998)

> The Fleet Submarine

> US Navy Tomahawk Fact File

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