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How much did the largest US missile strikes cost. How much is the US spending on strikes on Syria? Tomahawk long range cruise missiles

The sea-based Tomahawk missile system includes cruise missiles with surface or underwater launch, launchers, a missile fire control system and auxiliary equipment.
By the beginning of the 1970s, the Soviet Navy had become the most modern technically and technologically and one of the most powerful navies in the world. New ships of the Soviet Navy: cruisers of the 58th project, destroyers of the 61st project, nuclear submarines of the 675th project, armed with long-range missile systems P-35 (launch range - 350 km), P-15 (85 km) and P -5D (500 km) respectively. The stunning "exterior" of the ships and their powerful missile armament amazed the imagination and aroused the justified envy of NATO naval commanders. Most of the surface ships of their fleets were laid down during the Second World War. NATO surface ships, their diesel and nuclear submarines were armed with artillery systems and torpedo weapons. By that time, such equipment for the naval forces looked like an absolute anachronism. The only exceptions were 41 SSBNs of the US Navy, which had an exclusively formal attachment to the fleet, and single copies of modern ships - the nuclear cruiser Long Beach URO and the nuclear aircraft carrier Enterprise.
In 1971, the leadership of the US Navy initiated a program to create a strategic cruise missile for nuclear submarines. At the initial stage, two variants of cruise missiles (CR) were considered.
First option. This is a large 55-inch CR for the launchers of the Polaris UGM-27 missiles, which are being withdrawn from service. This option provided for the adoption of a heavy submarine-launched missile with a long range of flight - up to 3000 miles and the placement of missiles on board ten SSBNs of the George Washington and Eten Allen types in Polaris missile launchers. Thus, SSBNs became carriers of strategic SSGN cruise missiles.
Second option. Small KR caliber 21 inches with a range of up to 1500 miles under 533-mm torpedo tubes of submarines.
In June 1972, the KR variant was chosen for torpedo tubes. At the same time, the program was named SLCM (Sea Launched Cruise Missile) - a sea-based cruise missile. In January, the two most promising projects were selected for participation in competitive trials. The first is from General Dynamics: the UBGM-109A missile, the second from LTV: the UBGM-110A missile. In February 1976, tests of missile models from submarines began from a submerged position. The BGM-109A missile was declared the winner of the competition at the initial stage of testing.
In March of the same year, the naval authorities decide that the SLCM should become the main operational-tactical and strategic weapon of surface ships. In March 1980, the first flight test of the BGM-109A missile took place, the launch was made from the US Navy destroyer Merrill (DD-976). In June of the same year, successful flight tests of the boat version of the rocket took place. This event became a landmark in the history of missile weapons at sea: the world's first launch of a strategic cruise missile was made from a US Navy submarine Guitarro SSN-665. For three years, intensive flight tests of BGM-109A missiles were carried out, more than 100 missile tests were carried out. As a result, in March 1983, a US Navy public relations representative announced: "The missile has reached operational readiness and is recommended for adoption."
The cruise missile "Tomahawk" BGM-109 was created in two main versions: strategic (modifications A, C, D) - for firing at ground targets and tactical (modifications B, E) - for the destruction of surface ships. Their structural design and flight performance are identical. All variants, due to the modular principle of construction, differ from each other only in the head part.
Compound
The cruise missile is made according to the aircraft scheme (monoplane), has a cylindrical body with an ogive nose fairing, a wing that folds and sinks into the body in the central part and a cruciform stabilizer in the tail. The case is made of durable aluminum alloys, graphite-epoxy plastic and radio-transparent materials. To reduce radar visibility, a special coating is applied to the hull, wing and stabilizer.

The warhead of the strategic nuclear missile launcher "Tomahawk" BGM-109A is the W-80 warhead (weight 123kg, length about 1m, diameter 0.27m and power 200kt). Undermining is carried out by a contact fuse. The radius of the destruction zone is 3 km. The high firing accuracy and significant power of the nuclear warhead of the Tomahawk BGM-109A strategic missile launcher make it possible to hit heavily protected small targets with high efficiency. According to American experts, the probability of destroying a protected object that can withstand an overpressure of 70 kg/cm2 is 0.85 for one Tomahawk missile, and 0.10 for a Poseidon-SZ SLBM.
The BGM-109C strategic non-nuclear missile launcher is equipped with a monoblock (semi-armor-piercing) warhead, and the BGM-109D is equipped with a cluster bomb, which includes up to 166 BLU-97B small-caliber bombs of combined action (each weighing 1.5 kg) in 24 bundles.
The control and guidance system of the Tomahawk BGM-109 A / C / D is a combination of the following subsystems (see diagram):
inertial,
correlation along the terrain contour TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching),
electron-optical correlation DSMAC (Digital Scene Matching Area Correlator).
The inertial control subsystem operates in the initial and middle sections of the rocket flight (weight 11 kg). It includes an onboard computer, an inertial platform and a barometric altimeter. The inertial platform consists of three gyroscopes for measuring the angular deviations of the rocket in the coordinate system and three accelerometers that determine the acceleration of these deviations. The subsystem provides determination of the position of the CD with an accuracy of 0.8 km per 1 hour of flight.
The control and guidance system for strategic missiles with conventional warheads BGM-109C and D includes an electro-optical correlation subsystem DSMAC, which can significantly improve firing accuracy (KVO - up to 10m). It uses digital pictures of previously captured areas of the terrain along the route of the RC flight.

To store and launch Tomahawk missiles, submarines use standard torpedo tubes (TA) or special vertical launch units (VLR) Mk45 (see diagram), and on surface ships, container-type installations Mk143 (see diagram, photo1, photo2) or UVP Mk41. To store the boat version of the rocket, a steel capsule (weight 454 kg) is used, filled with nitrogen under low pressure. This allows you to keep the rocket ready for use for 30 months. The rocket capsule is loaded into the TA or UVP like a regular torpedo.


The principle of operation of TERCOM and DSMAC navigation systems on the Tomahawk cruise ship
Here is how the chief designer of the rocket, Robert Aldridge, the chief engineer of General Dynamics, described his product in the Nation magazine in the article "The Pentagon on the Warpath" dated March 27, 1982: "The strategic version of the rocket is designed to fly at a speed of 0, Mach 7 is the maximum possible distance at an altitude of about 20,000 ft. This is considered a low speed for a rocket, but it provides the greatest fuel economy and therefore increases the range. sensor called TERCOM.TERCOM can follow a pre-programmed route with such accuracy, one might say, deadly, that the missile is able to destroy targets, even super-protected and practically inaccessible to more powerful missiles, for example, ICBMs (ed. Dave77777. Here the developer was clearly playing a trick) .When the missile reaches enemy territory, the targeting system will leads it to such a low altitude that it allows it to avoid radar detection, and even if the radar detects the target, the Tomahawk on the screen will look like a seagull (ed. Dave77777 "Seagull" Gas-13). Within 50 miles of the target, the missile descends to a height of only 50 feet while accelerating to Mach 1.2 for the final throw."
The functioning of the missile system is as follows. Upon receiving an order to use missile weapons, the commander announces an alarm and puts the ship on high technical readiness. The pre-launch preparation of the missile system begins, which takes about 20 minutes. On a submarine, when firing from a TA, sea water is fed into the tube of the apparatus and through the holes enters the capsule with the CD. At this moment, a device begins to operate in the rocket, which creates an excess pressure inside its body, approximately equal to the external one, which protects the CR body from deformation. The boat goes to the launch depth (30-60m) and reduces the speed to a few knots. The data necessary for firing are entered into the control and guidance system of the CD. Then the cover of the TA opens, the hydraulic ejection system of the CR is activated, and the rocket is pushed out of the capsule. The latter is ejected from the TA tube some time after the rocket exits. The rocket is connected to the container with a 12m long halyard, when it breaks (after 5 seconds of passing the underwater section of the trajectory), the protection stage is removed and the starting solid propellant rocket engine is switched on. As the water column passes, the pressure inside the CR body decreases to normal (atmospheric), and it emerges from under the water to the surface at an angle of 50°.
When firing from the UVP Mk45, the shaft cover opens, the rocket ejection system is turned on, and the excess pressure created by the gas generator pushes the rocket out of the shaft. When exiting, it destroys the membrane of the capsule that held back the pressure of sea water, vertically goes to the surface and, having made a turn, switches to the programmed flight path. After 4-6s after the release of the CR from under the water or with the end of the launch solid propellant rocket launcher, the tail thermal fairing is dropped by pyrotechnic charges and the rocket stabilizer is opened. During this time, the KR reaches a height of 300-400m. Then, on the descending branch of the launch section, about 4 km long, the wing panels open, the air intake extends, the starting solid propellant rocket is fired at the expense of the pyrobolts, the sustainer engine is turned on, and the cruise missile switches to the specified flight path (60 seconds after the start). The flight altitude of the rocket is reduced to 15-60m, and the speed is up to 885km/h. The control of the missile during its flight over the sea is carried out by the inertial control subsystem, which ensures the launch of the CR to the first correction area (as a rule, it is several kilometers away from the coast). The size of this area depends on the accuracy of determining the location of the launch platform and the error of the inertial control subsystem of the CR, accumulated during the flight of the rocket over the water surface.

Along with equipping ships with Tomahawk missiles, the United States is conducting a large-scale program for the development and improvement of sea-based cruise missiles, which provides for:
Increasing the firing range to 3-4 thousand km due to the development of more efficient engines and fuels, reducing the weight and size characteristics. In particular, the replacement of the F-107 turbofan engine with its modification, according to American experts, gives an increase in thrust by 19 percent. and a 3% reduction in fuel consumption. Thanks to the replacement of the existing turbofan engine with a propfan engine in combination with a special gas generator, the flight range will increase by 50% with unchanged weight and size characteristics of the rocket.
improving the accuracy of targeting up to several meters by equipping the CR with the receiving equipment of the NAVSTAR satellite navigation system and a laser locator. It includes an active forward looking infrared sensor and a CO2 laser. The laser locator makes it possible to carry out the selection of fixed targets, navigation support and speed correction.
increase in launch depths of CR with PLA when using a more powerful starting solid propellant rocket motor;
reducing the impact of air defense and missile defense systems in the combat use of cruise missiles. It is planned to reduce the impact of air defense systems and increase the combat stability of the CR by reducing its radar signature, increasing the number of flight programs, and the possibility of their quick replacement or adjustment during the missile flight. For this purpose, it is planned to use more efficient computers and satellite communications.
Airborne tomahawks
Trying to reduce the cost of the production of CD, General Dynamics upgraded the AGM-109 missile for use from air carriers. The rocket engine has been upgraded. The expensive LN-35 inertial navigation system was replaced by a strapdown integrated navigation system equipped with a set of laser gyroscopes. Air-based made unnecessary the launch booster needed to eject a rocket from under water or a missile silo. Navigation systems were moved to the tail section of the rocket, making room for a modular warhead.
AGM-109H AGM-109H medium-range air-launched cruise missile. This KR with a range of up to 550 km is designed to disable the runways of airfields. The missile is equipped with a cluster warhead containing 28 BLU-106/V small-caliber concrete-piercing ammunition. Such ammunition weighing about 19 kg has a cylindrical body 110.5 cm long and 10 cm in diameter with a cruciform folding tail, which houses the warhead, solid fuel booster and brake parachute. Ammunition is fired in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the rocket, sequentially on command from the onboard guidance system. The rate of shooting should be set in accordance with the height and speed of the KR flight in order to cause maximum damage to the concrete runway or shelters for aircraft.
After shooting, the ammunition is decelerated by a parachute and oriented at an angle of about 60 ° relative to the earth's surface. The parachute is then dropped and the munition is accelerated towards the target with the help of a solid propellant booster. The warhead containing 3 kg of explosive has an armor-piercing tip. Due to the high kinetic energy, it breaks through the concrete coating of the target, the ammunition penetrates inside it, after which the explosive charge is detonated. The foreign press notes that the BLU-106 / B is very effective when operating both on the runway and on reinforced concrete shelters for aircraft. The B-52G and F-16 were supposed to be the carrier of the AGM-109H missile, although the missile mount is also suitable for other types of US Air Force aircraft.
AGM-109L air-launched medium-range cruise missile. Designed to destroy land and sea targets. The navigation of the missile is distinguished by the presence of an infrared homing head, which is similar to that installed on the AGM 65D Maverick missile. The AGM-109L is equipped with a WDU-18/B high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 222 kg. The carrier of the AGM-109L was to be the A-6E carrier-based attack aircraft.
AGM-109G ground-launched cruise missile. The rocket was structurally made of separate functional modules, which included a combined control system, a nuclear warhead, fuel compartments, retractable wings, an F107-WR-400 sustainer turbofan engine, a tail unit and a solid-propellant launch booster. The rocket was placed in a sealed capsule with a breakable protective diaphragm. The capsule was installed on a transport-launcher (TPU) mounted on an automobile semi-trailer and representing an armored container for four missiles. The M818 tractor of the MAN concern was used as a towing vehicle.


Combat use
large-scale military operation "Desert Storm" in 1991 against Iraq. From surface ships and submarines of the US Navy deployed in positions in the Mediterranean and Red Seas, as well as in the Persian Gulf, 288 Tomahawk missile launches were performed, of which 261 were TLAM-C missiles, 27 were TLAM-D missiles. 85 percent of them reached their goals. In the last decade, the Tomahawk missile has become the main means of bombing and assault strikes in all major operations conducted by the US Armed Forces: "Desert Fox" (Iraq, December 1998), "Allied Force" (Serbia, April-May 1999), " Unbending Freedom" (Afghanistan, October 2001), "Freedom to Iraq" (Iraq, March-April 2003). More than 2,000 sea- and air-launched Tomahawk missiles have been expended during these operations.
RGM / UGM-109E Tac Tom Block 4 (tactical "Tomahawk") - this modification of the rocket - in 1998 was offered to the fleet by Raytheon as a cheap replacement for the previous generation of missiles. The main goal of the Tac Tom program was a rocket that would cost significantly less (about half) to manufacture than the current TLAM-C / D Block 3. The rocket body, including the aerodynamic surfaces, is almost entirely made of carbon fiber materials. Reduced the number of stabilizer feathers from four to three. The rocket is powered by a cheaper Williams F415-WR-400/402 turbofan engine. The disadvantage of the new rocket is the impossibility of firing a rocket through a torpedo tube, only from special vertical launchers Mk 45 PL. The guidance system has new capabilities for identifying targets and retargeting in flight. The missile can be re-programmed in flight via UHF satellite for up to 15 pre-defined additional targets. There is a technical possibility for the missile to barrage in the area of ​​the intended target for 3.5 hours at a distance of 400 km from the launch point until it receives a command to hit the target, or use the missile as a UAV for additional reconnaissance of an already hit target. The total order of the Navy for a new missile in the period from 2003 to 2008 amounted to 1353 units. The Tactical Tomahawk Block 4 SLCM began to enter service with the US Navy in 2004. A total of 2,200 SLCMs of this type are planned to be purchased.

CHARACTERISTICS


Firing range, km

BGM-109A when launched from a surface ship
2500

BGM-109C/D when launched from a surface ship
1250

BGM-109C/D when launched from a submarine
900

Maximum flight speed, km/h
1200

Average flight speed, km/h
885

Rocket length, m
6.25

Rocket body diameter, m
0.53

Wingspan, m
2.62

Starting weight, kg

BGM-109A
1450

BGM-109С/D
1500

Warhead

BGM-109A
nuclear

BGM-109C
semi-armor-piercing - 120kg

BGM-109D
cassette - 120kg

F-107 sustainer engine

Fuel
RJ-4

Fuel mass, kg
550

Dry engine weight, kg
64

Thrust, kg
272

Length, mm
940

Diameter, mm
305

Sources

Rockets "Caliber" and "Tomahawk" are capable of hitting surface and ground targets at a great distance, breaking through the enemy's air defenses. The Tomahawk and Caliber systems belong to the same class of missile weapons, which makes it possible to directly compare them.

In October 2015, ships of the Russian navy used Kalibr cruise missiles in a real combat operation for the first time. This attack on the facilities of illegal armed groups in Syria caused a real sensation, and also showed that Russia now has missile systems with the highest performance. A few days ago, the United States reminded of its missile potential by attacking the Syrian Shayrat air base using Tomahawk cruise missiles. It is quite natural that specialists and amateurs of military affairs are again trying to compare Russian and American weapons, as well as draw certain conclusions.

The latest facts of the combat use of Russian and American-made cruise missiles clearly show that the weapons of the two countries have certain common features. Both missiles are capable of hitting surface and ground targets at a great distance and delivering combat units of relatively high power to the specified object. There is also reason to believe that both missile systems have a certain potential in breaking through the enemy's air defense. In general, the Tomahawk and Caliber systems belong to the same class of missile weapons, which makes it possible to directly compare them.

It should be noted that the difference in the age of the considered samples can affect the comparison results in a certain way. The missiles of the Tomahawk family were adopted by the United States in the early eighties, while the operation of the Russian Kalibr missiles began only a few years ago. However, it should not be forgotten that over the past decades, American weapons have been repeatedly upgraded with new capabilities and improved basic characteristics. In addition, the Tomahawk and Caliber products are currently the main weapons of their class in the armed forces of the two countries. Therefore, comparing two missiles is unlikely to face the problem of their belonging to different generations.

Both considered missiles have a lot in common. So, they are intended for use by surface ships and submarines. The purpose of such weapons is to deliver combat units to enemy targets located at tactical strategic depth. These capabilities can be used both to destroy certain important objects, and to suppress existing air defenses before attack aircraft enter the battle.

Tomahawk missiles

As part of the Tomahawk family, the American military industry created several missiles for various purposes with different characteristics. To date, several types of missiles remain in the arsenals of the US Navy. For attacking ground targets, products of modifications BGM-109C / UGM-109C and BGM-109D / UGM-109D are offered, both basic versions and upgraded ones. Such missiles can be used by both surface ships and submarines.

The Tomahawk product is a 6.25 m long cruise missile with a folding wing span of 2.6 m. The starting weight, depending on the modification, reaches 1.5 tons. The missile is equipped with a sustainer turbojet engine. A solid-propellant starting engine is also used, which is necessary for passing the starting section of the trajectory. Depending on the modification, the missile is equipped with an inertial, satellite or radar homing system. The missile carries a high-explosive or cluster warhead weighing 120 kg. Previously, “sea” missiles with a special warhead were in service, but, according to reports, such equipment was abandoned several years ago.

Ship modification "Tomahawk" can be used with several types of launchers. The missile is stored and launched using the Mk 143 installation with four transport and launch containers or using the Mk 41 universal vertical launcher, each cell of which accepts one missile. Submarines can use such weapons using standard 533 mm torpedo tubes or separate vertical launchers such as Mk 45.

Techniques for firing missiles of different modifications by different carriers are slightly different, but the general principles are similar. After programming the guidance systems, the missile is ejected from the launcher, then the starting engine performs the initial acceleration of the product and brings it to the required trajectory. Then the rocket drops all unnecessary elements and turns on the main engine.

According to reports, the latest naval modifications of the Tomahawk missile have a range of up to 1700 km. Missiles of some previous versions could deliver a warhead at a distance of up to 2500 km. The flight speed reaches 890-900 km/h. An important feature of the latest weapon modifications is the ability to barrage in a given area and aim at another target after launch. Such functions to a certain extent increase the combat potential and flexibility of the use of missiles.

Tomahawk cruise missiles have been in service since the 1980s, and over the past decades have become an essential element of the American arsenal. According to available data, more than 4,000 such missiles have been manufactured and delivered to the armed forces so far. About half of the products were used during exercises or real combat operations. From this point of view, the rockets of the family hold an absolute record in their class, which is unlikely to ever be broken.

For the first time, Tomahawks were used outside the range in 1991, during the Gulf War. In total, the US Navy used 288 of these missiles (276 were fired by ships and 12 by submarines). Most of the products flew to their targets, but some of the missiles were lost for technical reasons or shot down by enemy air defenses. In two operations in 1993, the US Navy again attacked Iraqi targets, using nearly seven dozen missiles. In 1995, the first launch of the Tomahawk took place against targets in Yugoslavia.

Subsequently, cruise missiles were used by ships, submarines and aircraft to destroy targets in Yugoslavia, the Middle East, Afghanistan, etc. The last rocket attack to date was carried out on 6 April. Two American ships sent 59 missiles to the Syrian air base. As it soon became known, only 23 missiles reached their targets. The rest, according to various sources, either fell into the sea before reaching the coast of Syria, or were shot down by anti-aircraft systems.

Recent official reports indicate that the Pentagon intends to continue the development and modernization of the Tomahawk family of cruise missiles. These weapons, being updated and getting new features, will remain in service for a long time. There are no specific plans to replace such missiles with newer models yet.

Missiles "Caliber"

Work on the creation of a promising missile system, which resulted in the appearance of the Caliber family, started back in the mid-seventies. Over the next few years, the requirements for the complex changed, and in addition, some economic and political factors affected the course of development. The final appearance of the new complex was formed only in the early nineties, and soon the models of the new missiles were shown to the general public.

The following years passed without much success, since the Russian industry simply did not have the opportunity to fully develop existing projects. The situation changed only in the 2000s, when the design of new systems was completed and it became possible to start testing. By the end of the decade, the development of a number of missiles for various purposes and complexes designed for their use was completed. Subsequently, complexes and missiles of new types were included in the armament of new ships and submarines. For surface ships, the Caliber-NK complex with the 3S14 launcher is intended, for submarines - Caliber-PL, which uses standard torpedo tubes.

To attack ground targets in the complexes of the Caliber family, 3M-14 cruise missiles are used. Such a rocket has a length of 6.2 m and a folding wing. When the wing is folded, the maximum diameter of the product is 533 mm, which allows it to be used together with standard torpedo tubes. The rocket is equipped with a sustainer turbojet engine and a solid-propellant launcher. According to reports, a homing system is used, which includes inertial and satellite navigation equipment. The target is hit using a high-explosive warhead weighing up to 400 kg.

Until a certain time, the flight characteristics of the Caliber missiles remained unknown. The promotional materials for this project indicated a maximum range of 300 km, but such numbers were directly related to existing export restrictions. The actual firing range remained a mystery. In the fall of 2015, Russian ships from the Caspian Flotilla launched a large number of missiles at targets in Syria. To achieve these goals, the missiles had to cover about 1500 km. Soon there were assumptions about a higher flight range, up to 2-2.5 thousand km. For obvious reasons, officials refrain from commenting on this topic.

Video recordings made by Russian drones in the course of monitoring the results of the use of missile weapons showed the high accuracy of the Kalibr complex. In most cases, the missile detonates the warhead either upon impact with the intended target, or with minimal deviation from it. In combination with a large warhead mass, this makes it possible to increase the efficiency of target destruction.

Almost all the latest surface ships and submarines of the Russian fleet have become carriers of the Caliber missiles. Thus, Project 22350 frigates are equipped with two launchers with eight missile cells on each. Project 11356 frigates, the Dagestan patrol boat (project 11661), project 20385 corvettes and project 21631 small missile ships each carry one installation. According to some information, in the near future, upgraded nuclear cruisers of project 1144 will receive such weapons. The Caliber-PL complex is used on diesel-electric submarines of project 636.3 Varshavyanka and 885 Ash. It was reported about the possibility of upgrading submarines of other projects with the replacement of existing weapons with new "Caliber".

The Caliber-NK missile system was first used on October 7, 2015. Four ships of the Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy used 26 missiles and destroyed 11 terrorist targets in Syria. In December of the same year, the B-237 Rostov-on-Don submarine solved a similar combat mission, hitting a ground target from the Mediterranean Sea. Subsequently, ships and submarines of the Russian fleet repeatedly used strike missile weapons to destroy various enemy targets. To date, at least 40-50 cruise missiles have been used, hitting several dozen targets. There have been numerous reports in the foreign media about missiles falling while following the route, but there is no exact information on this, including the number of failed products.

The problem of comparing "Caliber" and "Tomahawk"

Evaluating the effectiveness and comparing two samples of modern missile weapons is a rather difficult task. The real indicators of the combat operation of missile systems are affected by many different factors, which makes it difficult to assess them. Nevertheless, the available information still allows us to draw a general picture and draw some conclusions.

In the case of the Tomahawk family of missiles, the assessment is facilitated by the fact that over the past decades, the US Navy has managed to take part in several combat operations and use up a huge amount of weapons. At the same time, military operations were conducted in different regions and against enemies with different technical capabilities. For example, on September 23, 2014, 47 cruise missiles were sent to targets near Syrian Raqqa and other cities captured by terrorists. Lacking modern air defense systems, the terrorists were unable to intercept the missiles and lost a significant number of their facilities. The rocket attack carried out on October 13, 2016 ended in a similar way. Five missiles aimed at the Yemeni Houthi radar successfully reached their targets.

As you know, cruise missiles belong to the category of aerodynamic targets and therefore are included in the range of tasks of anti-aircraft systems that some US adversaries had. According to various sources, during the Gulf War, out of 288 launched missiles, the Iraqi military managed to intercept and destroy up to three dozen. During the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the United States used more than eight hundred Tomahawk missiles, some of which also failed to reach their targets due to unsuppressed air defenses. Earlier, during the fighting in Yugoslavia, out of more than 200 missiles, up to 30-40 were shot down.

The reasons for such results of the use of guided missile weapons are simple and understandable. The available flight data and flight profile, despite the low altitude and the associated difficulties for air defense, cannot be guaranteed to protect the Tomahawk missile from enemy anti-aircraft systems. As the Iraqi and Yugoslav experience shows, even obsolete anti-aircraft systems are quite capable of intercepting strike weapons and making it difficult to strike at key targets.

However, in the event of a developed air defense, the United States has appropriate methods. In the case of the use of Tomahawks, reconnoitered air defense objects become the first targets of missiles. To increase the chances of destroying the intended targets, massive strikes are used, the complete reflection of which is simply impossible due to the limited capabilities of anti-aircraft systems. Such a tactic leads to a large consumption of ammunition, but allows you to quickly disable the enemy's defenses, opening the way for strike aircraft.

The newer Caliber missiles cannot yet boast such a long combat career and unique quantitative indicators of use. At the moment, such weapons have participated in only one operation, during which only a few dozen products have been used up. The specifics of the current conflict in Syria leads to certain consequences, which to some extent make it difficult to determine the real capabilities of the complex.

Terrorist groups operating on Syrian territory do not have a serious air defense, which is why the Russian "Caliber" simply has nothing to break through. As a result, cruise missiles can pass almost unhindered to the target and destroy it. The only serious problem in this situation is possible technical problems. Earlier it was reported that already in the first salvo on October 7, 2015, several missiles failed to reach their targets, but detailed information about the fall of the weapon was not published. Apparently, if such incidents took place, then only a few times. Moreover, as follows from the reports of the Russian Ministry of Defense, even the loss of several missiles could not prevent the fulfillment of the tasks set and the destruction of the intended targets.

Comparing modern Russian and American cruise missiles, one should take into account the important consequences of their existence and use. Until recently, only the United States and Great Britain could send warships to the shores of the enemy and launch a massive strike with Tomahawk missiles. A large number of missiles and sufficiently high performance gave a high probability of successfully hitting all intended targets. Now Russia has a similar weapon. Missiles with a range of up to 1500 km and a significant number of their carriers, capable of reaching almost anywhere in the world's oceans, is a serious signal for a potential adversary.

Thus, the main conclusion from the current situation is not related to the technical characteristics, the number of missiles, or the likelihood of a missile defense breakthrough. Thanks to the appearance and adoption of the Kalibr family of missiles, a new force has appeared in the World Ocean, capable of influencing the situation in certain regions. There is every reason to believe that in terms of the number of deployed missiles and their carriers, the Russian complex will never be able to catch up with the American Tomahawk, but even in such a situation, cruise missiles will be a serious tool that can influence the military-political situation.

Tomahawk(Eng. BGM-109 Tomahawk, ['tɒmə‚hɔ:k] - Tomahawk) is an American multi-purpose high-precision subsonic cruise missile (KR) of long range, strategic and tactical purposes. It is in service with ships and submarines of the US Navy, and has been used in all significant military conflicts involving the United States.


BGM-109 Tomahawk was developed in a number of modifications, including:
  • Sea-launched missiles SLCM (eng. Sea-Launched Cruise Missile): BGM-109A/…/F, RGM/UGM-109A/…/E/H
  • Ground-Launched Cruise Missiles GLCM (Eng. Ground-Launched Cruise Missile): BGM-109G
  • MRASM (Medium-Range Air-to-Surface Missile) air-launched missiles: AGM-109C/H/I/J/K/L

Story


In 1971, the leadership of the US Navy initiated work to study the possibility of creating a strategic cruise missile (CR) with an underwater launch. In the initial phase of the work, two options for CR were considered:
The first option envisaged the development of a heavy submarine-launched missile launcher with a long flight range of up to 3,000 miles (5,500 km) and the placement of missiles aboard five George Washington and five Eten Allen-type SSBNs in UGM-27 Polaris SLBM launchers. (diameter 55 inches), removed from service. Thus, SSBNs became carriers of strategic SSGN cruise missiles.

The second option involved the development of a lighter missile launcher for 533 mm (21 inches) submarine torpedo tubes with a range of up to 1,500 miles (2,500 km).


On June 2, 1972, a lighter version for torpedo tubes was chosen, and in November of the same year, contracts were issued to the industry for the development of the SLCM (Eng. Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile) - a submarine-launched cruise missile.
In January 1974, the two most promising projects were selected for participation in competitive demonstration launches, and in 1975, the projects of General Dynamics and Ling-Temco-Vout (LTV) (eng. Ling-Temco-Vought) were assigned designations ZBGM-109A and ZBGM-110A, respectively (the prefix "Z" in the designation is status, and in the US DoD designation system it was used to designate systems that are "on paper", that is, at an early stage of development).


In February 1976, the first attempt to launch a prototype YBGM-110A (prefix "Y" in the designation) from a torpedo tube (TA) ended unsuccessfully due to a malfunction of the TA. The second attempt was also not successful, due to non-disclosure of the wing consoles. In March 1976, given two flawless launches of the YBGM-109A prototype and its less risky design, the US Navy announced the BGM-109 missile as the winner of the SLCM competition, and work on the BGM-110 project was discontinued.

At the same time, the naval leadership decided that SLCM should also be adopted by surface ships, so the meaning of the acronym SLCM was changed to English. The Sea-Launched Cruise Missile is a sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM). Flight tests of the YBGM-109A, including the TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) terrain correction system, continued for a number of years.

In January 1977, the administration of President Jimmy Carter initiated a program called the Joint Cruise Missile Project (JCMP), which directed the Air Force and Navy to develop their cruise missiles on a common technology basis. At this time, the US Air Force was developing the AGM-86 ALCM (Air-Launched Cruise Missile) air-launched cruise missile. One of the consequences of the implementation of the JCMP program was that only one type of marching propulsion system (Williams F107 turbofan engine of the AGM-86 rocket) and the TERCOM terrain correction system (McDonnell Douglas AN / DPW-23 of the BGM-109 rocket) received further development. Another consequence was the cessation of work on the basic modification of the AGM-86A cruise missile, almost ready for production, and competitive flight tests for the role of the main air-launched cruise missile between the extended version of the AGM-86 with a range increased to 2400 km, designated as ERV ALCM ( English Extended Range Vehicle, later became AGM-86B) and AGM-109 (modifications of YBGM-109A airborne). After flight tests conducted between July 1979 and February 1980, the AGM-86B was declared the winner of the competition, and development of the airborne AGM-109 ALCM was halted.

The naval version of the BGM-109 continued to develop during this time. In March 1980, the first surface flight test of the serial BGM-109A Tomahawk missile took place from the USS Merrill (DD-976) Spruence-class destroyer (eng. USS Merrill (DD-976)), and in June of the same year a successful launch of the serial "Tomahawk" from the submarine USS Guitarro (SSN-665) (English USS Guitarro (SSN-665)) of the Stegen project. It was the world's first launch of a strategic cruise missile from a submarine.
Flight tests of the Tomahawk SLCM continued for three years, during which time more than 100 launches were made, as a result, in March 1983, it was announced that the missile had reached operational readiness and recommendations were issued for adoption.


The first modifications of these missiles, known as the Tomahawk Block I, were the strategic BGM-109A TLAM-N (Eng. Tomahawk Land-Attack Missile - Nuclear) with a thermonuclear warhead and anti-ship BGM-109B TASM (Eng. Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missile) with warhead in conventional equipment. Initially, KR modifications for various types of launch environments were designated by assigning a digital suffix, so the BGM-109A-1 and -109B-1 indices denoted surface-launched missiles, and BGM-109A-2 and -109B-2 - underwater ones. However, in 1986, instead of a digital suffix to designate the launch environment, the letters "R" for surface ships and "U" for submarines began to be used as the first letter of the index ("B" - denoting the plurality of launch environments).
The cost of one launch of the Tomahawk CD in March 2011 was about $1.5 million.

The main difficulty in countering Tomahawk-type cruise missiles is the task of detection. The low RCS of a rocket imposes restrictions on the required power of the radar, and low-altitude flight - on its location (range of the radio horizon for a given altitude).


All these restrictions lead to the fact that at long range such missiles can only be detected using AWACS aircraft. At medium ranges, detection is also possible using low-altitude detectors, as well as specialized interceptors. At short ranges, Tomahawks (and similar cruise missiles) can be detected by most modern military and civilian radars.


Since the Tomahawk flies at subsonic speeds, cannot maneuver with high overloads, and cannot use decoys, the detected missile is confidently hit by any modern air defense and missile defense systems that meet altitude restrictions.
It also seems promising to use optical-electronic warfare equipment (in particular, noise detectors that suppress the GPS signal), which will significantly reduce the accuracy of a missile hit, and, consequently, the danger to the defended object.

carriers

  • 23 Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines, 12 KR;
  • 4 nuclear submarines of the Ohio type, 154 CR each;
  • 3 Sivulf-type nuclear submarines, up to 50 charges for torpedo tubes, including cruise missiles;
  • 3 Virginia-class nuclear submarines, up to 12 cruise missiles;
  • British strike nuclear submarine "Astyut" (2007, the first of four of this class), displacement 7200/7800 tons, service life ~ 30 years, 6 torpedo launchers, 48 ​​torpedoes and missiles;
  • 54 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (eng. Arleigh Burke) are in service and 8 more are being built at the shipyards of Brunswick and Pascagoula, armament 90/96 (depending on the series of the ship) PU "Aegis"; In the universal armament version, the ship carries 8 " Tomahawks", in shock - 56.
  • 22 Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers, 122 Aegis launchers, 26 CR as standard;
  • Since 2013, the launch of 2 new destroyers of the DDG-1000 series with 80 launchers each

Combat use

  • Gulf War (1991)
  • Operation Resolute Force (1995)
  • Operation Desert Strike (1996)
  • Operation Desert Fox (1998)
  • NATO war against Yugoslavia (1999)
  • Invasion of Iraq (2003)
  • Intervention in Libya (2011)

A cruise missile is a guided bomb with wings and an engine that allows it to fly 1.5-2 thousand kilometers to the target. But in the end, a charge will fall on the head of the enemy, which is generally identical to the warhead of a conventional, not the largest, air bomb weighing 300-400 kg.

And if in local conflicts many thousands of tons of air attack weapons are “poured out” onto enemy positions, then it would be naive to believe that the use of a couple of dozen “flying bombs” can somehow affect the course of hostilities even in the most insignificant conflict. Which, in fact, is confirmed by the current chronicle of events: despite the missile strikes of the Russian Navy and dozens of destroyed terrorist headquarters, there is no end in sight to the war in Syria.

Fact: During Operation Desert Storm, coalition air forces dropped 144,000 tons of bombs on Iraqi army positions. 30% of the strikes were on high-precision guided weapons, including almost three hundred Tomahawk cruise missiles. As a result of the rocket and bomb extravaganza, Saddam's troops were forced to leave the previously occupied Kuwait. However, despite all the fictitious and real losses, there could be no talk of any total defeat of the Iraqi armed forces. Iraq has retained much of its military potential. Otherwise, who did the Americans fight again valiantly twelve years later? At that time, by the way, 800 naval cruise missiles had to be fired at Iraqi targets. This is not counting the rocket attack in 1998 (Operation Desert Fox), when an additional 218 Tomahawks were launched into Iraq.

From the above statistics, it can be seen that the combat value of single cruise missiles, as well as any conventional means, is, to put it mildly, low. Only their massive use can have a definite effect, and then only with the direct complicity of the air force and ground forces.

SLCMs are suitable for hitting stationary targets with coordinates known in advance, which makes it impossible to use them in a rapidly changing situation on the battlefield. The situation is complicated by hours of waiting for a slow missile (0.6-0.8M) to reach the target ... Finally, the inadequately high cost of SLCMs compared to conventional aviation ammunition: up to $ 2 million for a serial Tomahawk. The cost of the Russian "Caliber" is classified, but taking into account their piece production, it exceeds the cost of a similar "Tomahawk" by several times.

Sea-based cruise missiles are an auxiliary element for enhancing the firepower of the Air Force. And they are not at all like the “wonder weapon” circulated in the press, capable of wiping out all the bases and armies of the “probable enemy” in the blink of an eye.

Fact: as of 2016, the Russian Navy has 17 SLCM carriers of the Caliber family. Among them:

Multi-purpose nuclear submarine K-560 "Severodvinsk" (project 885 "Ash"). In the middle part of the nuclear-powered ship, there are eight SM-343 launch silos, four missile cells each (total ammunition load - 32 "Caliber").

Frigate pr. 22350 - "Admiral Gorshkov". The ship-based firing system (UKKS) installed on it allows you to place 16 "Caliber" on board.

Three frigates pr. 11356: “Admiral Grigorovich”, “Admiral Essen” and “Admiral Makarov”. The ships have a UKKS module for eight cells for Caliber.

Patrol ship "Dagestan" (project 11661K). It has a similar UKKS module for eight cells.

Small missile ships pr. 21631 "Buyan-M", five units. They all have the same UKKS module for eight cells.

Diesel-electric submarines pr. 636.3 (modernized "Varshavyanka"), six units of the project. They have four SLCMs in the ammunition load (launched through standard 533 mm torpedo tubes).

Total: 17 carrier ships with 144 Caliber missiles placed on them.

The second major operator of sea-launched cruise missiles is the US Navy. They have a much more impressive arsenal of SLCMs and their carriers. "Tomahawks" can be placed on board 85 surface warships and 57 nuclear powered submarines.

All American cruisers and destroyers are equipped with universal launch cells - from 90 to 122 for each ship (only the Zamwalts had their number reduced to 80). As practice shows, during strike and "punitive" operations, up to half of the ship's launch silos can be given over to the deployment of "Tomahawks". However, when carrying out normal combat duty, the number of cruise missiles on board is small or they are absent altogether. Most of the air defense units, as a rule, are empty due to the lack of adequate tasks and the desire of the command to reduce the number of incidents by reducing the number of “dangerous toys” on board. The remaining mines are occupied by anti-aircraft missiles, space interceptors, as well as Asrok anti-submarine missile torpedoes.

The main way to place "Axes" on American submarines is 12 vertical shafts in the bow of the "Los Angeles" and "Virginia". Some of the outdated Losyas are capable of launching SLCMs horizontally through torpedo tubes.

The ammunition load of the Sivulf boats (8 TA, up to 50 naval munitions, including the Tomahawk SLCM) is stored and used in a similar way.

Finally, Ohio-class missile submarines. Four of the 18 SSBNs built under the START treaty were converted into cruise missile carriers. Seven Tomahawks in each of the 22 silos that previously housed the Trident strategic missiles. The remaining two shafts were converted into lock chambers for the exit of combat swimmers. Total: each special operations submarine can have 154 “Axes” on board. However, in practice, everything is different: launch cups are installed only in 14 mines, the remaining eight are given over to accommodate diving equipment. The record salvo belongs to the Florida submarine, which launched 93 Tomahawks in one night (operation against Libya, 2011).

Due to the high unification of missiles and the possibility of their placement in any configuration, in accordance with the current situation and the tasks of the fleet, it is impossible to establish the exact number of SLCMs on US Navy ships. From the presented facts it is clear that it can reach several thousand units.

Brief description of missiles

ZM-14 "Caliber" (the anti-ship version of the ZM-54 was not considered, since it has little in common with the BD tactical cruise missile).

Length - from 7 to 8.2 meters.
Starting weight - according to various sources, from 1.77 to 2.3 tons.
Flight range - from 1.5 thousand in conventional to 2.5 thousand km in nuclear equipment (with a relatively light special warhead).
The mass of a high-explosive warhead is 450-500 kg.

In-flight control and targeting methods: on the marching section, the missile is controlled by an inertial system, and also uses GPS / GLONASS satellite navigation data. Guidance is carried out on a radio-contrast ground target using the ARGS-14 radar homing head.

The first test launches from domestic ships - 2012. At the same time, export modifications of Caliber (Club) have been successfully delivered abroad since 2004.

BGM-109 TOMAHAWK

The original "Battle Ax" with a nuclear warhead was put into service in 1983. In 1986, its conventional analogue BGM-109C with a high-explosive warhead appeared, from that moment the popularity of cruise missiles began to grow.

Below is the data on the RGM/UGM-109E “Tactical Tomahawk” modification, which is the main modification of the SLCM in service with the US Navy. The main changes are aimed at reducing the cost of ammunition (missiles are not a value, but a war consumable). Weight reduction, a cheap plastic body, a turbofan engine with a minimum resource, three keels instead of four, due to its “fragility” the rocket is no longer suitable for launching through a TA. In terms of accuracy and flexibility of use, the new missile, on the contrary, surpasses all previous versions. A two-way satellite communication channel allows you to retarget the missile right in flight. Now it is possible to fire only at GPS coordinates (without the need to have photographic images and radio contrast images of the target). The classic TERCOM (navigation system that measures the height of the terrain along the flight route) and DSMAC (optical and thermal sensors that determine the target by comparing data with the “picture” loaded into the rocket’s memory) are supplemented with a TV camera for visual monitoring of the target’s state.

Length - 6.25 m.
Starting weight - 1.5 tons.
Flight range - 1.6 thousand km.
The mass of the warhead is 340 kg.

Some conclusions from the above

1. Cruise missiles are not the glorified "wonder weapon". The destructive power of the CRBD is comparable to a 500 kg bomb. Is it possible to win a war by dropping just one or a few bombs on the enemy? Answer: Of course not.

2. The possibility of shelling targets in the depths of enemy territory is also not the prerogative of the KRBD. The Russian Aerospace Forces are armed with tactical air-launched cruise missiles with a range of 5,000 km, which significantly exceeds the performance of any Caliber.

3. The treaty to limit the INF Treaty, which the Caliber fans refer to, is not worth a penny. Before rejoicing at how the ban on deploying cruise missiles with a range of more than 500 km on land has been circumvented, we need to think: is such a weapon even needed? This niche has long been firmly occupied by aviation: aircraft will “cover” any target, much faster and at a greater distance than the “Caliber” is capable of.

4. Stories about how five missile boats hide in the backwaters of the Volga and "hold" the whole of Europe at gunpoint, let's leave it to the conscience of journalists. Fussing with RTOs, which have only 8 cruise missiles out of serious weapons, means one thing: the USC is not able to build an ocean-going warship, engaging in profanity and mastering the means of SAP-2020. Such boats with "Caliber" do not mean anything against the backdrop of the power of the Russian aerospace forces.

5. Destruction of American missile defense facilities in Europe. Believe me, there are much more efficient and effective ways to do this than a handful of subsonic missiles that take hours to crawl to Romania.

6. Taking into account the difference in the number of cruise missiles and their carriers, the ban on the placement of nuclear weapons on ships (with the exception of 14 strategic submarines) was an unconditional victory for Russian diplomacy over the American side.

7. Surface warships are built as platforms for anti-aircraft weapons. It is a fact. Look at the birth of the Aegis, the Ticonderoga, and the homegrown Orlan-class cruisers. On the number of anti-aircraft missiles, radars and air defense systems on board.

The appearance of a missile cruiser is not determined by missile silos with Tomahawks. The main design feature of the Ticonderog is a huge superstructure with octagons of SPY-1 radar antennas placed on its walls.

The launches of hundreds of Tomahawks are a tribute to the unified vertical launch installation. Allowing you to take on board SLCMs instead of part of the anti-aircraft ammunition. But by no means a primary task for a large warship.

(According to the materials of the site rusvesna.ru)