The US Navy has confirmed a major contract modification with Raytheon Missiles and Defense for the production of 350 Block V Tactical Tomahawk cruise missiles, taking the overall contract value to $785.2 million.
The award, published in a Pentagon notice, covers missiles and associated hardware for the US Navy, Army and Marine Corps, along with two Foreign Military Sales customers. It raises the total quantity procured under the contract to date from 131 to 350 and secures deliveries through to January 2029.
Manufacturing and integration work will be spread across more than a dozen US sites. A portion will also take place in the UK, with the Glenrothes facility in Fife tasked with part of the production workshare, reflecting the longstanding transatlantic supply chain for the Tomahawk programme.
The contract lists Glenrothes at 2.9 percent of activity, continuing the site’s role in supporting missile electronics and guidance components. Raytheon’s Scottish presence has been a consistent contributor to UK and US precision weapons programmes, including Tomahawk, Paveway and the Spear family. The Block V upgrade introduces improved navigation, communications and survivability features, forming the baseline for future variants such as the Block Va Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST).
Funding for the latest order spans multiple services and fiscal years. US Navy procurement accounts for $47.7 million, the Army contributes more than $120 million across FY24 and FY25 missile accounts, and the Marine Corps allocates $82.3 million. Foreign customers are expected to finance nearly $500 million of the package.
I thought Tomahawk production had ceased and only LRASM was going to be produced? If Tomahawk is still being produced then the UK military should definitely order a few.
If only we were on a war footing.
We could purchase some of the truck based systems that the US army uses and provide a credible conventional deterrent to Putin.
On that the RAF could move to Norway in a crisis. One where the anti ship variety would put the Ru on the back foot.
If only we were on a war footing….
Oh I’m sure we would if there were a threat of the nature that the Govt says there is… oh hang on a minute.
The UK really does need to consider a greater stockpile of these. At present there is no other 2500km range conventional strategic weapon the UK has access to and it should have them in the hundreds.
The ability to hurt Russia is the only way to really have an effective deterrent. We should probably be ordering now because there is a reasonable chance that in a future war with Russia the U.S. may just not sell us anymore (look at Ukraine). The only other question on the board is could the US render them less than sovereign… because let’s be honest so far the only targets we have ever fired tomahawks at are targets the US wanted us to fire them at in support of US policy goals… as our goals become divergent we should only buy them if they are sovereign.
I personally think every part of US tec we buy needs to be looked at in this way… is it possible to ensure sovereign control. Infact I think it now needs to be a standard consideration.. because the way the geopolitical picture is going I’m not sure which future powerblock the Uk will sit in.. will we manage to somehow develop glorious independence ( I think the danger from Russia makes this almost impossible), will we be EU aligned and so In likelihood not close allies with the U.S. if it says on its present path or will we say US aligned and have a more and more fractious relationship with the EU. Because sadly the present option of alignment as close allies with both the US and EU in one happy western family is now sailing into the distance.
We’ll stay NATO aligned. Whether others choose to leave NATO or disregard their commitments is up to them.
Tomahawks aren’t strategic weapons.
Only Block II were capable of 2,500km.
We really should have piggy backed on the order and brought some more. The 60 odd we have in stock isn’t sufficient for a major war scenario.