The US State Department has approved the potential sale of hundreds of Raytheon-made Tomahawk missiles to Japan for $2.4 billion.
“The Government of Japan has requested to buy up to two hundred (200) Tomahawk Block IV All Up Rounds (AURs) (RGM-109E); up to two hundred (200) Tomahawk Block V AURs (RGM-109E); and fourteen (14) Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control Systems (TTWCS).
Also included is support for the Tomahawk Weapon System (TWS) (the All Up Round, the Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control Systems (TTWCS) and the Mission Distribution Software Suite Centers (MDSSC)), as well as containers; feasibility studies; software; hardware; training; unscheduled missile maintenance; spares; in-service support; communication equipment; operational flight test; publications; engineering and technical expertise to maintain the TWS capability; non-recurring engineering; transportation; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $2.35 billion”, says a public notice on the Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s website.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region. The proposed sale will improve Japan’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a long range, conventional surface-to-surface missile with significant standoff range that can neutralize growing threats. Japan will have no difficulty absorbing these articles into its armed forces.”
Japan taking the risks today seriously, especially from an agressive & pernicious PRC. Good to know more can be ordered since I thought Tomahawk production was nearing its end.
I though tomahawk production and ended and all that was possible was upgrades of existing stockpiles, however with 400 for Japan and 200 for Australia that is clearly not the case. We should take the opportunity in increase our inventory as well. Even when FC/ASW arrives TLAM is probably likely to remain useful for decades.
Wasn’t it the version that could be launched by torpedo tube that has been discontinued as opposed to vertical tube. Might have got this wrong though.
All variants are still in production. The USN has a standing contract for 196 new production missiles per year.
Not so. The US Navy purchased 154 new Tomahawks for three services for $217 million in 2022 for delivery by 2025. The sale to Japan will be a separate order as will the one for Australia.
Exactly this.
You are correct there, TTL option was dropped by the US when TLAM Blk IV was produced due to costs. UK and Raytheon combined to produce a TTL version of Blk IV TLAM acquired by the UK. We are over the next few years, converting all our Blk IV TLAM into Blk V versions. Not entirely sure if we are purchasing any new ones though.
Curious re proposed equal proportion purchase of Block IV and Block V. Cost consideration? Integration issues aboard various classes? Possible acquisition of TTL variant of either Block? Interesting …🤔
Yes, somewhat odd as it’s the same missile, with the newer BLK V having a longer range and updated Comms. Can only conclude that the BLK IV are available now with BLK V later!!! Like you say, perhaps cost comes into it too? Believe this is a stop gap until they get their T12 LAM up and running in full scale production.
Not sure if the will go with TTL version, but, who knows, sometimes needs must.
Japanese m,ay have received an ‘offer they couldn’t refuse’ on Block 4. (Quote from The Godfather, occasionally amuse myself 😁)
Sorry…Block IV…🙄
With all the RNs MK41s to fill you’d hope the UK government is thinking exactly what to put in them. FCASW seems to be taking forever and TLAMs are relatively cheap and available now along with NSM. Hope the UK doesn’t just do nothing on this. Ships FFFreshAir is not a good look especially when your allies and potential adversaries are doing the opposite! With seven Astutes maybe the UK should up its stocks of these a tad too?
You would be very surprised how many of our allies and enemies have empty missile tubes. Including US Navy escorts. They are not all 100% tooled up. They are expensive and require a lot of maintenance. And missiles sat in launches only have a limited shelf life before they need depth maintenance. It’s another case of people thinking our warships are full of fresh air and everyone else’s are full of weapons. They aren’t.
I do agree with you Robert and it’s a juggle of what’s operationally necessary, maintenance of inventory and resupply timelines. But it’s aggressors like Russia and China that at the moment always seem to have their “cannisters full” seeking to take advantage of other nations. I think a bit more of intentionality in some of the things we purchase, in how many, having the vls /cannisters for them all may help to send a signal to our potential adversaries as to what they could be on the receiving end of. All this kind of talk may promote an “arms race” of sorts but do we really want to come second to these authoritarian regimes and let their influence spread? Japan & Australia getting 600 Tomahawks, that’s quite a statement of intent especially in this region. The UK could get some extra TLAMs for its T26s and T31s right now. What are they waiting for, the “bell to ring”!? The FCASW is a while away. I still think 2 x MK41s in the T45s is a wasted opportunity too, with CAMM down the sides. The RAN here are putting them on their Hobart AAW Destroyers. I know you’ve got a bit of a different take on this from before and I’m happy to listen.
FCASW has always seemed to be a long-term project, hopefully as 2030 approaches they will get the right hat on and sort it because it ought to be a proper gamechanger for RN
It’s only 2024, so don’t we need a top up of TLAMs now for RN ships and subs? Good common sense to get NSMs (finally) as an interim as have many of our allies.
Agree Quentin it would seem huge common sense to add more loadouts for our torp launched tomahawks and to fit the MK41 VLS cells (Type 26+31 frigates) with Tomahawk block V and/or LRASM.
We have to have the sovereign ability to conventionally hit defended high priority targets such as C3, air defences, radar sites, airfields and naval dockyard sites.
Come on MOD get with the game plan.
Tomahawks are still being made new. Australia will also require another order of a sub launched ones at some stage for LOTE collins and viginia class.
Australia has ‘sovreign guided weapons enterprise’ for domestic production of guided weapons. GMLRS production was the first system announced, but the scuttlebutt is that tomahawks are also one of the priority missiles for the program.
Plus they have to deal with an aggressive North Korea which keeps test-firing missiles toward Japan.
Good to see a nation which takes defence seriously
I like to see us also invest in a large conventional strike capability as well like Japan. A need to deploy 100+ long range cruise missiles in a single day should be the standard we aim for. It’s very doable if we invest in something like Rapid Dragon for storm shadow and increase the TLAM inventory.
Strategic Conventional strike capability is becoming as important as a nuclear deterrent and it’s not like we can glass the Russians for lobbing some conventional cruise missiles our way.
JIm wrote:
“”I like to see us also invest in a large conventional strike capability as well””
Unions, Schools , Pro Palestine, Stop Oil crowd are investing heavily in that area.
🤣🤣🤣😂🤣 If only so much effort was put into defence mate!
HMG what’s Defence 🤔
That is some purchase. Well done Japan.
Something for our MOD to sit up and pay attention too. You fight wars with the weapons, smart munitions, platforms and personnel you have to hand and in service. Japan ordering 400 Tomahawks is a lesson on how to deliver at scale a conventional overwhelming stand off strike capability.
Remember that Syrian airfield that deployed chemical weapons on civilians. Taken out by a wave of tomahawk missiles that destroyed +30% of the Assad regimens Syrian airforce. Japan can now do this to multiple airfields, dockyards and C3 sites in China if required.
Japan has serious armed forces. Their navy alone is enough to cause China pause. That and in combination with allied navies,
Their Izumo class ‘helicopter destroyers’ are brilliant with the addition of F-35bs onboard soon.
Big in Japan