Tomahawk Missile

— -- Designed to fly at extremely low altitudes at high subsonic speeds, Tomahawk cruise missiles are piloted by several mission-tailored guidance systems. The first operational use was in Operation Desert Storm, 1991, with immense success.

Primary Function: long-range subsonic cruise missile for striking high value or heavily defended land targets.

Contractor: Raytheon Systems Company, Tucson, Ariz.

Unit Cost: approximately $600,000 (from the last production contract)

Power Plant: Williams International F107-WR-402 cruise turbo-fan engine; CSD/ARC solid-fuel booster

Length: 18 feet 3 inches (5.56 meters); with booster: 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 meters)

Weight: 2,900 pounds (1,315.44 kg); 3,500 pounds (1,587.6 kg) with booster

Diameter: 20.4 inches (51.81 cm)

Wing Span: 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 meters)

Range: 870 nautical miles (1,000 statute miles, 1,609 km)

Speed: Subsonic — about 550 mph (880 km/h)

Guidance System: TERCOM, DSMAC, and GPS (Block III only)

Warheads: 1,000 pounds or conventional submunitions dispenser with combined effect bomblets.

Date Deployed: 1986 — IOC; 1994 — Block III; 2003 — Tactical Tomahawk