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Tomahawk Long-Range Cruise Missile

Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile in service with the surface ships and submarines of the US and the UK’s Royal Navy.

Long-range subsonic cruise missile

Manufacturer

US Navy and Royal Navy

Williams International F415 cruise turbo-fan

Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile in service with the surface ships and submarines of the US and the UK’s Royal Navy. Originally produced by General Dynamics, Tomahawk is currently manufactured by Raytheon.

The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) can strike high-value or heavily defended land targets. The Block II TLAM-A missile achieved initial operating capability in 1984. The missile was first deployed in combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

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The Tomahawk family of missiles includes a number of variants, carrying different warheads. The UGM-109A Tomahawk (Block II TLAM-A) carries a W80 nuclear warhead.

RGM / UGM-109C (Block III TLAM-C) is a conventional unitary variant, carrying a 1,000lb-class warhead. RGM / UGM-109D (Block III TLAM-D) is a submunitions dispenser variant armed with 166 combined-effects bomblets.

RGM / UGM-109E Tomahawk (Block IV TLAM-E) is the latest member in the Tomahawk missile family. It carries a 1,000lb-class unitary warhead for a maximum range of 900nmi.

The Tomahawk Block IV missiles were converted and upgraded to Block V in 2017. The upgraded Tomahawk includes extended range, enhanced navigation and communication systems and modernised data-link radio.

The upgrades were performed at Raytheon’s Tucson, Arizona facility. The US Navy will use the upgraded Tomahawk cruise missiles beyond 2040. Raytheon was contracted to integrate the upgraded navigation and communication systems into the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM) missile in March 2020. The upgraded version is known as the Block V TACTOM.

The Block Va variants will be named Maritime Strike and have the capability of hitting a moving target. The Block Vb will feature the Joint Multi-Effects Warhead System.

Tomahawk design features

The Tomahawk is designed to operate at very low altitudes while maintaining high-subsonic speeds. Its modular design enables the integration of numerous types of warheads, guidance and control systems.

The missile carries a nuclear or conventional payload. It can be armed with a nuclear or unitary warhead or a conventional submunitions dispenser with combined-effect bomblets. The missile has a 5.56m length, 51.8cm diameter and a 2.67m wingspan. The weight of the missile is 1,315kg. It has a life span of 30 years.

The Tomahawk weapon system includes the Tomahawk missile, Theatre Mission Planning Centre (TMPC) / Afloat Planning System and the Tomahawk weapon control system (TWCS) for surface vessels or combat control system (CCS) for submarines.

Guidance and control

The Tomahawk Block IV uses GPS navigation and a satellite data-link to continue through a pre-set course. The missile can be reprogrammed in-flight to a new target.

The two-way satellite communications are used to perform post-launch mission changes throughout the flight. The on-board camera provides imagery of the target to the commanders before the strike.

The guidance system is assisted by Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM). The Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC) system or GPS provide terminal guidance.

The Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS) integrated within the ship’s systems computes the path to engage targets. The system enables the planning of new missions on board the launch vessel. TTWCS is also used to communicate with multiple missiles for reassigning the targets and redirecting the missiles in flight.

The Block IV Tomahawk missile is outfitted with advanced electronic support measure (ESM) seeker in Block IV Tomahawk missile. Its joint multi-effects warhead enables the commander to control the blast.

The Tomahawk Block IV missile is powered by a Williams International F415 cruise turbo-fan engine and ARC MK 135 rocket motor. The propulsion provides a subsonic speed of 880km/h.

Tomahawk launch platforms

The missile can be launched from over 140 US Navy ships and submarines and Astute and Trafalgar class submarines of the Royal Navy. All cruisers, destroyers, guided missile and attack submarines in the US Navy are equipped with a Tomahawk weapons system.

US Navy launch platforms were modified to accommodate upgraded Tomahawk missile variants. Four Ohio class nuclear ballistic missile submarines were converted into cruise missile submarines for firing Tomahawk missiles. The Virginia class submarines and the Royal Navy Astute class submarines were also fitted with new vertical launch modules for Tomahawk missile.

Tomahawk orders and deliveries

The US signed a foreign military sales (FMS) agreement with the UK in 1995 to supply 65 Tomahawks for use with the Royal Navy nuclear submarines. The first batch of missiles was delivered in 1998.

The US Government approved an agreement in 2003 to deliver 65 Tomahawk Block IV missiles for the UK. In August 2004, the US Navy placed a $1.6bn multi-year procurement contract with Raytheon for 2,200 Tomahawk Block IV missiles.

Raytheon was awarded a $346m production contract for 473 Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles in March 2006. The contract includes 65 submarine torpedo tube-launched missiles for the Royal Navy. The Block IV entered service with the Royal Navy in March 2008.

Raytheon was awarded a $207m-worth firm-fixed-price contract in March 2009 for 207 Tomahawk Block IV All-Up-Round (AUR) missiles.

The 2,000th Tomahawk Block IV missile was delivered to the US Navy in February 2010.

The US Navy placed a $338m contract with Raytheon in June 2012 for the delivery of 361 Tomahawk Block IV tactical cruise missiles. Another contract worth $254.6m was awarded for Tomahawk Block IV in the same year.

Raytheon delivered the 3,000th Tomahawk Block IV to the US Navy in January 2014 as part of the ninth Block IV production contract.

The US Navy awarded a $251m contract to Raytheon for the production and delivery of Tomahawk Block IV missiles for both the US Navy and Royal Navy in September 2014.

A $25.9m contract for Tomahawk missile composite capsule launching systems (C/CLS) was awarded in December 2014. The C/CLS is integrated with the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines and nuclear-powered guided-missile submarines, allowing the missile to be launched from submarines.

Tomahawk Block IV missile demonstrated its moving target capability in tests conducted in February 2015.

Raytheon received a $122m contract from the US Navy in March 2015 for the production of 114 Tomahawk Block IV all-up round missiles. Raytheon conducted an active seeker test flight for the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile in January 2016.

The 4,000th Tomahawk Block IV missile was delivered to the US Navy in August 2017. The US Navy warships and submarines launched 66 GPS-enabled Tomahawk missiles at Syrian chemical weapon facilities in 2018.

Raytheon planned to undertake recertification and modernisation programmes for Tomahawk Block IV missile in 2019 to add maritime strike capability and multiple-effects warhead upgrades to the missiles.

Raytheon received a $349m contract for phase two of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk Rapid Deployment Capability to improve the Tomahawk cruise missile system in August 2019. Work will be executed in various locations across the US until February 2023.

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Tomahawk at a Glance

Tomahawk Development

The U.S. Navy began its development of sea-launched cruise missiles in 1972. 2 The Tomahawk was designed to fly at subsonic speed while maintaining a low altitude, making it difficult to detect on radar. It uses tailored guidance systems to maneuver while at such low elevations.

There were three original Tomahawk designs, the nuclear-tipped TLAM-N, the ground-launched Gryphon, and the conventional TASM.

BGM-109G Gryphon

In late 1970s, the U.S. Navy sought a precision land attack cruise missile capable of a much smaller CEP. Two Block II versions were produced; the TLAM-C and the TLAM-D.

Service History

The Tomahawk was first deployed in combat in the 1991 Gulf War in Operation Desert Storm, with the first salvo launched from the USS Paul F. Foster (DD 964) at Iraqi targets. 18 Overall, the mission achieved initial success.

However, before GPS guidance was implemented, the Tomahawk faced serious navigation issues in 2003’s Operation Iraqi Freedom. Due to the indistinct desert terrain in region, the missile’s TERCOM system was not adequate to guide the missile to its targets in Iraq. 19 Approximately ten Tomahawks drifted off course and crashed (”clobbered”) into the ground in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran in the initial phase of Iraqi Freedom. 20

• “Tomahawk Cruise Missile,” United States Navy Fact File, August 14, 2014, http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=2200&tid=1300&ct=2
• “Tomahawk Cruise Missile,” United States Navy Fact File, August 14, 2014, http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=2200&tid=1300&ct=2.
• Sam LaGrone, “West: U.S. Navy Anti-Ship Tomahawk Set for Surface Ships, Subs Starting in 2021,” USNI News , February 18, 2016, https://news.usni.org/2016/02/18/west-u-s-navy-anti-ship-tomahawk-set-for-surface-ships-subs-starting-in-2021.
• “Tomahawk Long-Range Cruise Missile,” Naval Technology, http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/tomahawk-long-range-cruise-missile/.
• “RGM/UGM-109 Tomahawk,” in IHS Jane’s Weapons: Strategic 2015-2016, ed. James C. O’Halloran (United Kingdom: IHS, 2015), 219-223.
• “General Dynamics/McDonnell Douglas BGM-109G Gryphon” National Museum of the Air Force, April 26, 2011.http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=18194.
• Missile Defense Project, “Tomahawk,” Missile Threat, Center for Strategic and International Studies, September 19, 2016, last modified June 15, 2018, https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/tomahawk/ .
• Fuller, Malcolm. “Tomahawk/RGM/UGM-109B/C/D/E” Jane’s Weapons: Naval. December 17, 2012.
• Department of the Navy, Naval Vessel Historical Evaluation – Paul F. Foster Final Determination (Washington, DC: 2013), https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/TeamShips/SEA21/InactiveShips/Historic/2013/EDD964-Paul-F.-Foster-Final-DOI.pdf.
• “The Tomahawk Missile’s First Mission Was Over…Iran?,” War on the Rocks, April 6, 2015, https://warisboring.com/the-tomahawk-missile-s-first-mission-was-over-iran/.
• Jeffrey Lewis, ”Why the Navy Should Retire TLAM-N,” Arms Control Wonk (blog), December 13, 2009, https://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/202560/why-the-navy-should-retire-tlam-n/.
• “What is a Tomahawk Missile?” History.com, April 7, 2017, https://www.history.com/news/what-is-a-tomahawk-missile.
• NBC News, “U.S. Launches Missiles at Syrian Base Over Chemical Weapons Attack,” NBC News, April 7, 2017, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-launches-missiles-syrian-base-after-chemical-weapons-attack-n743636.

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Cruise Missiles Rise To Top Of U.S. Weapons Agenda

After successfully fielding only one new cruise missile during the past 30 years, the U.S. Defense Department hopes to multiply that result over the next decade.

Two new candidates for a future hypersonic cruise missile are currently in testing, while a third has entered the design phase. A subsonic replacement for a nuclear version of the Boeing AGM-86 air-launched cruise missile is in development. Another replacement for the Navy’s RGM/UGM-109 Tomahawk is on the drawing board and may be adapted for a nuclear role as well.

• Scramjet-powered cruise missiles gain traction
• INF Treaty demise restarts production of ground-launched cruise missiles

Meanwhile, new versions of the Lockheed Martin AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and the Tomahawk missiles are set to enter production. Finally, a new class of air vehicle that blurs the line between a cruise missile and an unmanned aircraft system is gaining traction.

The  Biden administration, however, might intervene. Two nuclear cruise missile projects—the Air Force’s Raytheon Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) and the Navy’s sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N)—could become targets of a pending review by President Joe Biden’s appointees of the $1.2 trillion nuclear modernization program. And the extent to which Biden’s national security team supports conventional hypersonic cruise missiles is not yet apparent.

But U.S. military support has never been higher for a powered alternative to ballistic missiles with the capability to maneuver during a flight without sacrificing speed.

In the category of hypersonic weapons, scramjet-powered cruise missiles are seen as a more affordable and versatile option than the larger and more expensive hypersonic glide vehicles, such as the air-launched Lockheed AGM-183A.

As recently as December 2018, senior defense officials viewed scramjet propulsion as less mature than rocket-boosted hypersonic gliders. But scramjet technology has evolved rapidly in wind tunnel testing.

In 2020, Aerojet Rocketdyne demonstrated that an 18-ft.-long scramjet engine could generate 13,000-lb. thrust in a wind tunnel. Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems achieved the same result with another scramjet design in 2019. Both engines are now set to enter flight testing in 2021 under DARPA’s Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept program; Aerojet has partnered with Lockheed, and Northrop has teamed up with Raytheon. A follow-on operational prototyping program, known as the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile, is set to begin, and air-launched and sea-launched versions are possible.

A third option could enter the competition this year. In November, the Pentagon awarded Boeing a contract to complete a preliminary design and component-level testing of the Mach 5-plus HyFly 2, a concept for a dual-combustion, ramjet-powered cruise missile optimized for the Navy’s carrier decks.

All three conventional hypersonic cruise missiles are expected to enter service years before the Air Force fields the nuclear LRSO, but the program is making progress. The Air Force selected Raytheon over Lockheed to continue development of the LRSO, which will be armed with an upgraded W80-4 warhead.

The LRSO entered development under the Obama administration, but the SLCM-N joined the future arsenal following the Trump administration’s Nuclear Posture Review. A Navy analysis recommended developing the SLCM-N as a nuclear variant for the Next-Generation Land Attack Weapon (NGLAW), which is intended to replace the ship- and surface-launched Tomahawk.

As a bridge to the fielding of the NGLAW, the Tomahawk itself reentered production in 2020 to support the improved Block V variant. The Maritime Strike Tomahawk, which integrates a new seeker, is scheduled to enter service in 2023.

Ground-launched cruise missiles (GLCM) also are making a comeback since the demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in August 2019. That 31-year-old pact compelled the Air Force to retire an arsenal of deployed BGM-109G Gryphon missiles. But conventional GLCMs will reenter the arsenal. Last November, the Army selected the BGM-109 Tomahawk to form half of a new Mid-Range Capability with a ground-launched version of the Raytheon SM-6 in 2023.

Lockheed’s AGM-158 JASSM provided the Air Force a stealthy option to strike targets at ranges of up to 500 nm. Although the AGM-158 fell far short of the AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missile, the Air Force allowed the latter to be retired from service with no direct replacement in November 2019. That gap will be addressed partially by the fielding in 2024 of the AGM-158D, a new version of the JASSM with a range of up to 1,000 nm and the same radar cross section.

Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington DC.

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A Short History of Cruise Missiles: The Go-To Weapons for Conventional Precision Strikes

The slow, stubby-winged cruise missile has become a major part of modern warfare. This is its story.

• They’re not like other missiles; instead, cruise missiles work more like drones.
• Ironically, the inspiration for the first cruise missiles involved pilots—the infamous kamikazes of World War II .

One weapon that establishes a military power in a completely different category from the rest is the cruise missile. Originally designed to deliver nuclear weapons at long distances, it’s become the go-to weapon for conventional precision strikes, and is currently front and center in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But as the cruise missile is now in its fifth decade of use, there are signs it’ll need some adjustments to stay relevant on the modern battlefield .

Divine Wind

A cruise missile is a subsonic guided missile that uses a turbojet, a smaller version of the jet engines that power today’s airplanes , to reach its targets. Cruise missiles often have small, stubby wings to allow them to bank and turn, following an invisible flight path in the sky. Modern cruise missiles use satellite navigation to guide themselves to target, and some can even take pictures of the target area, allowing operators to retarget them in midair. The missile’s payload is typically a warhead in the 1,000-pound weight class, often with the ability to penetrate earth and concrete to target underground shelters.

The first cruise missiles were Japan’s kamikaze planes of World War II. The kamikaze, or “divine wind,” was part of the Japanese Special Attack Units. Created out of desperation and meant to curb the inexorable advance of U.S. forces across the Pacific, kamikaze pilots were sent on one-way missions to target ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The planes were loaded with explosives, and the pilots flew low and fast to avoid detection until the last possible moment.

Kamikaze missions were incredibly successful. In the first four months of their use, an estimated 34 percent of all kamikazes reached their targets. Much of their success is likely attributable to American forces’ disbelief that pilots could commit suicide for their mission. But the low-flying mission profile and the pilot’s ability to recognize threats and avoid them were also undoubtedly factors. In the 1970s, when U.S. military planners originally conceived of the cruise missile, the kamikazes were likely not far from anyone’s mind.

How Cruise Missiles Work

Cruise missiles were originally designed to carry nuclear weapons long distances, allowing bombers to strike their targets without entering the range of an adversary’s air-defense weapons. Conventional rocket-powered missiles didn’t fit the bill: rocket engines are designed to provide speed, and burn up fuel quickly. A cruise missile would need an enormous rocket engine to reach a distant target, with the result being a missile so big only a few would be able to fit inside a bomber.

Instead of rockets, engineers took a different tack: small turbofan engines that burn jet fuel. Turbofan engines are much more efficient, allowing a 21-foot-long missile to carry enough fuel to fly 1,000 miles, plus a 1,000-pound high-explosive warhead (or W-80 thermonuclear warhead ) and a guidance system. The downside was that a turbofan-powered cruise missile could not fly particularly fast, just about 500 miles per hour.

A subsonic cruise missile flying a straight flight path and unable to take evasive action would prove easy meat to any enemy interceptor that happened upon it. The first modern cruise missile, the American-made Tomahawk , was designed to fly low, less than 100 meters above the ground. This limited the range at which ground-based radars could detect a cruise missile, as radar waves conform to the curvature of Earth. This also frustrated enemy fighters, whose nose-mounted radars found it difficult to pick out a cruise missile against the clutter created by the ground below. While cruise missiles were too slow to become first-strike weapons, they were effective for retaliatory strikes against heavily defended airspace.

Early Tomahawk cruise missiles followed a pre-programmed flight path to target using a system called terrain contour matching (TERCOM). In TERCOM , a radar altimeter scans the terrain below the missile, then compares it to a terrain elevation map stored in its onboard computer brain. If the two match, the missile is on the right flight path; if they don’t match, the missile adjusts course. Programming TERCOM for a long-range mission was a notoriously time-consuming process, and had to be done at a computer terminal.

As the Tomahawk neared its target, it switched over to a completely different navigation system: digital scene matching and area correlation ( DSMAC ). DSMAC used an optical sensor that took pictures of the ground and compared them to actual sites on the final route to the target. Together, TERCOM and DSMAC delivered unheard of accuracy, allowing Tomahawks to fly hundreds of miles and strike specific parts of land targets, even specific parts of buildings.

More recent cruise missiles, including newer versions of the Tomahawk, have done away with the old navigation systems in favor of using GPS to guide themselves to a fixed target. This has had the effect of making an already accurate missile even more accurate—reportedly to within 32 feet of a target. The Tomahawk Block IV version, introduced in the 2010s, included a camera that could send back imagery to the missile’s controllers, allowing a missile to be re-tasked in midair if its target was already destroyed. Block Va, the latest version, adds the ability to target and attack moving ships at sea.

The Tomahawk missile was the first cruise missile fired in anger. U.S. Navy warships fired a total of 288 Tomahawks during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Tomahawk missiles have also been fired at Bosnia, Sudan, Syria , Yemen, Libya, Somalia, and Afghanistan. U.S. and U.K. forces have delivered just over 2,000 Tomahawk missiles against operational targets, with more than half against Iraq.

In recent years, other countries have also used cruise missiles in combat. In October 2017, Russia began cruise missile strikes against so-called terrorist targets in Syria. These Novator 3M14 Kalibr cruise missiles are very similar to Tomahawk missiles, but use Russia’s GLONASS satellite navigation system, an alternative to the American GPS. Russia has launched a steady stream of air- and sea-launched cruise missiles against Ukraine since the early hours of the invasion on February 24, 2022 , but a shrinking missile stockpile has led to the attacks becoming less frequent, supplemented by Iranian-made kamikaze drones.

The war in Ukraine has also seen the use of two European cruise missiles, the U.K.’s Storm Shadow and the French SCALP missile . The two are essentially the same, with a 340-mile range and 990-pound warhead. The missiles donated to Ukraine are launched from specially modified Su-24 Soviet-era strike jets . Storm Shadow/SCALP was also used against the Khaddafi regime in Libya in 2011, ISIS in 2015, and by Saudi Arabia against Yemeni rebels in 2016.

The Russo-Ukrainian War has also confirmed an important, long suspected fact: low-flying, subsonic cruise missiles are vulnerable to man-portable surface-to-air missiles. In 2022, a Ukrainian National Guardsman was filmed shooting down a Russian cruise missile with an Igla surface-to-air missile. It was the first known case of a shoulder-fired missile, typically carried by infantry, shooting down a multi-million dollar cruise missile. How this event will affect future cruise missiles remains to be seen.

The Takeaway

Cruise missiles have dramatically changed warfare, as one might expect from a weapon that can fly 1,000 miles and deliver a half-ton high-explosive warhead within 32 feet of a target. The missiles allow countries that can afford them the ability to execute precision strikes on heavily defended targets without endangering pilots or aircraft.

The war in Ukraine will likely impart lessons on the next generation of cruise missiles , but the platform isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Kyle Mizokami is a writer on defense and security issues and has been at Popular Mechanics since 2015. If it involves explosions or projectiles, he's generally in favor of it. Kyle’s articles have appeared at The Daily Beast, U.S. Naval Institute News, The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, Combat Aircraft Monthly, VICE News , and others. He lives in San Francisco.

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Acronyms: ALCM:Air-launched cruise missile ASCP: Anti-ship cruise missile ASM: Anti-ship missile ICBM: Intercontinental ballistic missile LACM: Land-attack cruise missile SLBM:Submarine-launched ballistic missile SLCM:Submarine-launched cruise missile SRBM: Short-range ballistic missile

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The world’s top air-to-surface missiles

From Lockheed Martin's JASSM-ER to Raduga's Kh-58UShKE, Airforce Technology lists the world’s top air-to-surface missiles by range.

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World’s Best Most Destructive Air-to-Surface Missiles

From Lockheed Martin ‘s JASSM-ER to Raduga’s Kh-58UShKE, Airforce Technology lists the world’s top air-to-surface missiles by range. The list excludes nuclear-armed air-to-surface missiles and air-launched ballistic missiles.

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-ER (JASSM-ER) – 926km

The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) was developed by Lockheed Martin primarily for the US defence forces. The missile is currently in service with the US Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Finnish Air Force, and Polish Air Force.

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Lockheed martin corp, the finnish air force, defence research and development organisation, ins co., ltd.

The long-range, air-to-surface missile uses infrared seeker and digital anti-jam GPS/inertial measurement unit guidance to engage high-value, well-fortified, stationary, and mobile targets in highly defended environments.

The JASSM-ER weighs approximately 1,000kg and can carry a 450kg blast fragmentation warhead. It can engage targets at a maximum distance of 926km with pinpoint accuracy. The missile is compatible with B-1B, B-52, F-16, and F-15E aircraft.

LRASM – 555km

The Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) is a new generation anti-ship standoff missile based on the combat-proven JASSM-ER missile. Lockheed Martin is offering the LRASM in air and surface-launched configurations.

The subsonic missile employs semi-autonomous guidance and a multi-mode electro-optical seeker. It carries a 450kg penetrating blast fragmentation warhead to a maximum range of 555km.

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The LRASM can penetrate advanced integrated air defence systems while its long-range ensures the engagement of hostile targets that are beyond the reach of direct counter-fire weapons.

Taurus KEPD 350 – 500km

The TAURUS KEPD 350 is a modern, high-precision modular stand-off missile system offered by TAURUS Systems, a joint venture of LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme and Saab Dynamics.

It is in service with the German, Spanish and Republic of Korea air forces.

The air-launched cruise missile is guided by a combination of GPS/INS with terrain reference and image-based navigation to engage strongly hardened and high-value point and area targets within a 500km range.

The missile carries a 481kg dual-stage warhead to destroy stationary and semi-stationary targets in all weather conditions. Powered by a high-thrust turbofan engine, the KEPD 350 offers high manoeuvrability at low and high subsonic speeds.

BrahMos Air-Launched Missile – 300km

The BrahMos air-launched missile forms part of the BrahMos medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile family developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture of NPO Mashinostroyeniya of Russia and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India.

The Indian Air Force test-fired the missile for the first time from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft in November 2017. The BrahMos air-launched configuration employs an inertial navigation system, active radar homing, and GPS/satellite guidance systems.

Powered by a solid-fuel rocket booster and a liquid-fuelled ramjet engine, the supersonic missile delivers a conventional warhead weighing up to 300kg for a maximum range of 300km.

RBS-15 – 300km

The RBS-15 Gungnir is a long-range air-to-surface/anti-ship missile developed by Saab. The latest variant of the missile, RBS15 Mk4, is available in air-launched, ship-launched, and land-based platform-launched configurations.

The missile measures 4.35m-long and weighs 810kg with boosters. It is equipped with active radar seeker to engage manoeuvring ships at sea and stationary land targets. The subsonic missile uses INS and anti-jam navigation to engage targets at a maximum range of 300km.

The RBS-15 missile carries a 200kg high-explosive blast and pre-fragmented warhead. Powered by a turbojet engine, the missile can engage targets in adverse weather and cluttered environments.

Kh-59MK2 – 285km

The Kh-59MK2 extended-range air-to-surface missile is a variant of the Kh-59M TV-guided air-launched missile developed by ‘Raduga’ State Engineering Design Bureau of Russia. It can be integrated with MiG-35, Su-30MK, Su-32, Su-35, and Su-24M aircraft.

The missile is guided by an active radar seeker to engage radar-contrast surface targets at a maximum range of 285km, during day or night, in adverse weather conditions. It weighs 930kg at launch and delivers a 320kg penetrating warhead.

Powered by a solid-fuel rocket motor and a turbofan engine, the Kh-59MK missile can travel at a maximum speed of 1,050km/h.

Kh-35UE – 260km

The Kh-35UE air-to-surface/anti-ship missile is a modern variant of the Kh-35E air-launched missile. It is in service with the Russian Navy, Indian Navy, and the Vietnamese People’s Navy.

The high-subsonic missile offers improved performance and range than its predecessor. It is guided by inertial and satellite navigation systems, as well as an active-passive radar seeker, which ensure better accuracy, and resistance against jamming. The advanced seeker further offers a 50km lock-on range compared with the 20km range of the Kh-35E.

Fitted with a 145kg high-explosive fragmentation penetrator warhead, the Kh-35UE missile is available in aircraft and helicopter-launched versions, which can strike targets within the range of 260km.

Storm Shadow/SCALP – 250km

The Storm Shadow/SCALP is a long-range deep strike missile designed by MBDA to meet the challenging needs of pre-programmed strikes against high-value fixed and mobile land-based targets. The combat-proven missile is deployed from Typhoon, Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Tornado aircraft fleet operated by six air forces.

It uses guidance from GPS/INS and terrain reference navigation systems, as well as an infrared (IR) imaging seeker and automatic target recognition to engage targets with minimal collateral damage.

Powered by a turbojet engine, the Storm Shadow missile can carry a blast/penetrator warhead weighing up to 450kg. It is capable of attacking targets at a maximum distance of 250km.

Stand-Off Missile (SOM) – 250km

The Stand-Off Missile (SOM) family, manufactured by Roketsan, includes SOM-A, SOM-B1, and SOM-B2 missile variants, which can be launched by F-4 and F-16 fighter jets. The missile is in service with the Turkish Air Force and Azerbaijan Air Force.

The SOM-A and B1 versions deliver a 230kg high-explosive blast/fragmentation warhead while the B2 version can carry a 230kg tandem penetrator warhead. Each variant is guided by an image infrared seeker, as well as GPS, INS, terrain reference, and image-based navigation systems.

The cruise missile is propelled by a turbojet engine, which ensures a high-subsonic speed of Mach 0.9. It can engage heavily defended surface or mobile naval targets at a maximum range of 250km.

Kh-58UShKE – 245km

The Kh-58UShKE anti-radiation missile was developed by ‘Raduga’ State Machine-Building Design Bureau to engage the radar infrastructure of Hawk, Nike Hercules, Patriot, and other surface-to-air missiles (SAM) systems.

The supersonic missile features a passive radar homing head and an automatic control system based on a platform-free navigation system. It can be launched from catapult launchers fitted to the external stations of modern aircraft such as MiG-35, Su-30MK, Su-32, and Su-35.

The Kh-58UShKE missile weighs 650kg and carries a 149kg high-explosive warhead to a maximum range of 245km.

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Cruise Missile Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

The Report Contains Cruise Missile Manufacturers and it is Segmented by Launch Platform (Air, Surface Combatants, Submarine, and Land), Range (Short-Range Missiles, Medium-Range Missiles, and Long-Range Missiles), Speed (Subsonic, Supersonic, and Hypersonic), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East and Africa). The Market Size and Forecasts Are Provided in Terms of Value (USD Million) for All the Above Segments.

• Cruise Missile Market Size

Need a report that reflects how COVID-19 has impacted this market and its growth?

Cruise Missile Market Analysis

The cruise missile market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 13.61% during the forecast period.

• COVID-19 has hurt the cruise missile market on a global level. The onset of the pandemic led to various countries worldwide implementing lockdown measures and putting a ban on intercontinental trade. This has led to shortcomings concerning the raw materials or parts necessary for the manufacturers to produce cruise missiles. Moreover, disruptions in the supply chain are expected to affect the companies' future growth due to the lockdown.
• On the other hand, a decline in the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide led to the opening up of lockdowns as well as the removal of border restrictions by various countries, which has enabled a free flow in terms of trade and this has made it easier for companies to resume their access for the necessary parts and components which are required to manufacture cruise missiles. Moreover, various outbursts and an increase in the demand for advanced cruised missiles by various countries worldwide will lead to the cruise missile market witnessing growth in the coming years.
• The rising incidence of cross-border agitations and terrorist activities across the globe is one of the key factors driving the growth of the market. Cruise missiles are crucial for enforcing defense strategies and countering terrorist threats and political and territorial issues. Moreover, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technology in defense systems for enhanced situational awareness and target precision is a thrust to market growth. Various technological advancements, such as the development of innovative hypersonic cruise missiles that can travel faster than the speed of sound, are acting as other growth-inducing factors.
• Over the years, the influence and application of missiles in modern warfare strategies have increased, urging nations' military & defense segments to maintain a significant amount of cruise missiles. In addition, upgrading technology has enabled modern cruise missiles to self-navigate, fly on a non-ballistic and extremely low-altitude trajectory, and travel at hypersonic and supersonic speeds. Such innovations are expected to have a positive outlook and will lead to the cruise missile market witnessing significant growth during the forecast period.
• Cruise Missile Market Trends

The Air Segment is Expected To Witness Significant Growth During The Forecast Period

• The air-launch segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Air-Launched cruise missiles are winged, jet-powered missiles designed to be launched from an aircraft and to fly toward the target at low altitude on automatic guidance, with a range of almost 2,500 miles (4,023 km).
• In the present scenario, advanced cruise missiles are fitted on military aircraft having advanced capabilities and are launched while airborne from such military aircraft. Moreover, the current air-launched cruise missiles are standoff weapons that are used to attack predetermined land targets with conventional, nuclear, or thermonuclear payloads.
• For instance, in November 2022, the United States Air Force announced that they have, for the first time in an overseas test, used its Rapid Dragon system, in which cruise missiles on pallets are launched from the back of a mobility aircraft. An MC-130J Commando II from the 352nd Special Operations Wing launched a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range cruise missile using the system nicknamed 'bomb bay in a box' in a range over the Norwegian Sea. Moreover, according to the United States Air Force, such positive testing has resulted in highlighting the progress of the cruise missile program from concept to live firing in under two years.
• On the other hand, various countries around the world are witnessing developments in terms of the development of advanced cruise missiles, which are launched from the air. For instance, the highly advanced BRAHMOS air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) with precision attack capabilities against sea and land targets has been designed and developed by Brahmos Aerospace for the Indian Air Force frontline air combatant platform Sukhoi-30MK1. In addition, the Brahmos ALCM is the heaviest and the most powerful weapon to arm the Sukhoi-30MK1 super maneuverable strike fighter of the Indian Air Force.
• Thus, such developments concerning advanced air-launched cruise missiles will have a positive outlook and will lead to the air-launched platforms witnessing significant growth in the cruise missiles market during the forecast period.

North America to Dominate the Market During the Forecast Period

• By geography, North America is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The rising incidence of cross-border tensions coupled with a growing military budget and the need for ramping up defense capabilities with advanced weapons are the main factors that will contribute to the growth of the market in the near future.
• The United States is one of the biggest military spenders worldwide. According to the United States Department of Defense, the military budget of the United States has been proposed to be increased to USD 797 billion in the fiscal year of 2023 as compared to USD 728 billion, which was the military budget in 2022. Moreover, out of the USD 728 billion, USD 56.5 billion has been allocated to air power platforms and systems, more than USD 40.8 billion has been allocated for sea power, and nearly USD 12.6 billion has been allocated towards modernizing the Army and Marine Corps fighting vehicles.
• Currently, the most advanced cruise missile in possession of the United States is the AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile. The AGM-129A is a subsonic, turbofan-powered, air-launched cruise missile. It is harder to detect and has greater range and accuracy than the AGM-86 air-launched cruise missile.
• Moreover, the AGM achieves maximum range through its highly efficient engine, aerodynamics, and fuel loading. In addition, B-52H bombers can carry up to six AGM-129A missiles on each of two external pylons for a total of 12 per aircraft.
• Moreover, the United States has also been investing in developing advanced cruise missiles in recent years. For instance, in August 2022, the United States Air Force announced that they had secretly test-fired a long-range variant of a stealthy cruise missile from a B-2 stealth bomber. The cruise missile known as Lockheed Martin's JASSM-ER has about triple the 370-kilometer range of the standard JASSM and is slated to be retargetable in flight, making it easier to hit mobile targets deep behind enemy lines. The variant has already been fitted to the B-1 bomber, and F-15E strike fighter. Thus, such advancements in cruise missile technology will have a positive outlook and lead to the cruise missile market witnessing significant growth in North America during the forecast period.

Cruise Missile Industry Overview

The market is consolidated in nature, with the presence of a few players holding significant shares in the market. Some of the prominent players in the cruise missile market are Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Boeing, Kongsberg, and MBD Inc., amongst others.

These companies have expanded their presence in various regions to provide flexible cruise missile manufacturing options facilitating cost-effective production and supply of such systems to the system integrators or the defense forces worldwide. The market attractiveness is envisioned to increase with the increase in defense expenditure and the capabilities of countries worldwide. Moreover, the demand for new and advanced cruise missiles will be generated from original equipment manufacturer (OEM) channels.

Cruise Missile Market Leaders

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

The Boeing Company

Kongsberg Gruppen

*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order

Cruise Missile Market News

• November 2022: The Indian Army tested a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands. The Western Command of the Army tested the extended-range version of the missile. Moreover, according to the Indian army, the tested Brahmos cruise missile can hit targets with a range of 450 km or more.
• August 2022: Russia unveiled a new cruise missile at the Army-2022 military exhibition near Moscow. The missile, codenamed as Kh-69 stealth missile, was displayed by the Tactical Missiles Corporation at the exhibition. Moreover, the missile has been developed to engage stationary targets with known coordinates and additional information about the environment near the target.

Cruise Missile Market Report - Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions

1.2 Scope of the Study

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.3 Market Restraints

4.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4.1 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers

4.4.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.4.3 Threat of New Entrants

4.4.4 Threat of Substitute Products

4.4.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

5. MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 Launch Platform

5.1.2 Surface Combatants

5.1.3 Submarine

5.2.1 Short Range Missiles

5.2.2 Medium Range Missiles

5.2.3 Long Range Missiles

5.3.1 Subsonic

5.3.2 Supersonic

5.3.3 Hypersonic

5.4 Geography

5.4.1 North America

5.4.1.1 United States

5.4.1.2 Canada

5.4.2 Europe

5.4.2.1 Germany

5.4.2.2 United Kingdom

5.4.2.3 France

5.4.2.4 Russia

5.4.2.5 Rest of Europe

5.4.3 Asia-Pacific

5.4.3.1 China

5.4.3.2 India

5.4.3.3 Japan

5.4.3.4 South Korea

5.4.3.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific

5.4.4 Latin America

5.4.4.1 Brazil

5.4.4.2 Rest of Latin America

5.4.5 Middle-East & Africa

5.4.5.1 United Arab Emirates

5.4.5.2 Saudi Arabia

5.4.5.3 Israel

5.4.5.4 South Africa

5.4.5.5 Rest of Middle East & Africa

6. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Vendor Market Share

6.2 Company Profiles

6.2.1 Lockheed Martin Corporation

6.2.2 Raytheon Technologies Corporation

6.2.4 The Boeing Company

6.2.5 MBDA Inc.

6.2.6 Tactical Missiles Corporation

6.2.7 Kongsberg Gruppen

6.2.8 Roketsan

6.2.9 Avibras Indstria Aeroespacial S/A

6.2.10 China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

6.2.11 Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc.

7. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS

Cruise Missile Industry Segmentation

Cruise missiles are unmanned vehicles that are propelled by jet engines. They can be launched from ground, air, or sea platforms. Cruise missiles remain within the atmosphere for the duration of their flight and can fly as low as a few meters off the ground. Cruise missiles are self-guided and use multiple methods to accurately deliver their payload, including terrain mapping, global positioning systems (GPS), and inertial guidance, which uses motion sensors and gyroscopes to keep the missile on a pre-programmed flight path. As advanced cruise missiles approach their target, remote operators can use a camera in the nose of the missile to see what the missile sees. This gives them the option to guide the missile to its target manually or to abort the strike.

The cruise missile market is segmented by launch platform, range, speed, and geography. By launch platform, the market is segmented into air, surface combatants, submarine, and land. By range, the market is segmented into short-range missiles, medium-range missiles, and long-range missiles. By speed, the market is classified into subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic. By geography, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. 

The report offers the market size and forecasts by value (USD billion) for all the above segments.

Cruise Missile Market Research FAQs

What is the current cruise missile market size.

The Cruise Missile Market is projected to register a CAGR of 13.61% during the forecast period (2024-2029)

Who are the key players in Cruise Missile Market?

Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Technologies Corporation, MBDA Inc., The Boeing Company and Kongsberg Gruppen are the major companies operating in the Cruise Missile Market.

Which is the fastest growing region in Cruise Missile Market?

Asia-Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2024-2029).

Which region has the biggest share in Cruise Missile Market?

In 2024, the North America accounts for the largest market share in Cruise Missile Market.

What years does this Cruise Missile Market cover?

The report covers the Cruise Missile Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The report also forecasts the Cruise Missile Market size for years: 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029.

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Cruise Missile Industry Report

Statistics for the 2024 Cruise Missile market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. Cruise Missile analysis includes a market forecast outlook to 2029 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.

Cruise Missile Market Report Snapshots

• Cruise Missile Market Share
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America needs to lead in drone warfare

When Russian tanks invaded and cruise missiles and drones rained down, Ukrainians responded with grit, a highly motivated fighting force, and their own waves of drones. This nation of 38 million people has stood firm against one of the world’s largest militaries, in part by using drones as an invaluable force multiplier. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) play an instrumental role in modern asymmetric warfare, but if the U.S. does not step up, our partners and allies will continue turning to China and Iran to purchase this technology.

Both Moscow and Kyiv use drones for intelligence gathering, target acquisition, and airstrikes for devastating effects. Drones have evolved from mere intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tools to lethal weapons capable of carrying up to 500-pound munitions, striking targets with incredible accuracy. With their ample processing capability, drones can rapidly identify, track, and attack targets.

Drones have also become key to extending communications lines, collecting intelligence for law enforcement officials, and delivering supplies to contested areas. With UAVs, Ukraine has successfully mounted wide-ranging attacks inside Russia, causing significant damage to Russian energy infrastructure sites , destroying naval bases and shipyards, and damaging several Russian military aircraft . Yet without sustained supplies of drones, electronic warfare equipment and other defense support, Ukraine’s efforts will be constrained by the sheer scale and superiority of Russia’s force s.

Early in the war, Ukraine heavily utilized cheap Chinese commercial drones for tactical missions. Just a few months in, however, Kyiv began noticing problems: Chinese drone maker DJI appeared to be leaking data on Ukrainian military positions to Russia. Chinese drones also proved susceptible to powerful Russian jamming and electronic warfare attacks. Then, in July 2023, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) began restricting drones sales to Ukraine while continuing to supply Russia. Facing challenges replacing the small drones that form the cornerstone of its kill chain, Kyiv began looking elsewhere.

Now, hundreds of American-produced drones are in use across Ukraine to disrupt Russian supply lines and help document Russian war crimes, including Russian barrages against civilians, hospitals, schools and infrastructure. These drones are easy to use and operate securely offline. They are powered by next generation artificial intelligence and autonomous capabilities. And their rapid, iterative software updates can stay ahead of Russian countermeasures, greatly enhancing Ukraine’s ability to resist Russian forces and helping Ukraine regain operational control over the battlefield.

America’s partners and allies are taking note. Leveraging rapid software modernization and technological advances levels the playing field for smaller, less capable countries facing a larger adversary. Even Taipei, facing an adversary whose defense budget is the size of the entire Taiwanese GDP, could maintain its ISR over the island and surrounding waters in a crisis, inject resiliency into its communications systems, and target advancing PRC forces with asymmetric capabilities, like masses of smaller, multi-functional UAVs.

The problem for Taiwan and other nations in the Indo-Pacific is that China has flooded the global markets with cheap drones from DJI and Autel, capturing 90 percent of the global market for small drones. Indeed, the PRC has increased its investment in advanced drone technology, working to make Chinese drones more cost-effective and capable – all the while developing new military capabilities like drone swarms and stealth drones and supplying hundreds of millions of dollars of support and a steady supply of drones to Russia .

Our allies and partners need American-made drones, not Chinese or Iranian ones. Our own military needs cutting-edge, secure drones with reliable supply chains even in a crisis. Thousands of new American drones in the hands of the warfighter scales battlefield insights and accelerates the speed of decisions and actions.

As the Biden administration seeks to restore American manufacturing, the drone market is a prime industry to invest in. Beyond creating American jobs, these drones would fuel commercial, industrial, and first responder markets with drones “Made in the USA”. American drone manufacturers can (and do) work closely with military personnel to rapidly iterate on the designs based on users, missions, and environments. And so the Department of Defense (DoD) has taken the first step toward investing in this industry by championing rapid development of drones and AI-enabled autonomous vehicles . DoD can also use a portion of the newly secured supplemental funding for Ukraine to provide U.S. drones to Ukraine – either as new purchases or as a draw from existing U.S. military stock

The U.S. State Department should also fund UAV usage for international law enforcement and promote U.S. drone capabilities amongst allies and partners. As the primary touchpoint with foreign countries, embassy officials should warn other countries of the risks of using PRC-made UAVs, and our commercial service officers should work in tandem with the State Department to promote U.S.-made alternatives. Congress should also bolster funding for State Department programs that have successfully utilized drone technology to support their missions, such as the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau’s efforts in countering transnational crime with help from ISR drones.

There is a clear global demand for more drone technology. According to industry analysis , the global drone market will double from 2022 to 2026 and then triple, to reach over $160 billion, by 2030. Without U.S. support and clear alternatives, Ukraine, Taiwan and other countries with a high demand for UAVs will be forced to turn to U.S. adversaries for cheaper options and accept the accompanying national security risks .

Today, America’s strategic competitors dominate global commercial drone markets. To support our allies and ensure military superiority in future conflicts, the United States must reassert a leadership role in rapid, iterative drone development and production at scale. U.S. companies must put in significant resources and scale production, and Washington help American manufacturers outpace Chinese competitors as well as maintain support for allies like Ukraine whose battlefield experience further confirm the criticality of American efforts.

Mark Montgomery is a senior director and senior fellow at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He served for 32 years in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer, retiring as a rear admiral in 2017. He also served as Policy Director for the Senate Armed Services Committee under the leadership of Senator John S. McCain.️

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Russia Now Firing Kh-101 Cruise Missiles Modified With Two Warheads At Ukraine

R ussia is now adding a second warhead to its Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles , widely used against targets across Ukraine. The jury-rigged solution apparently involves fitting a second charge — reportedly containing steel fragments to increase the overall destructive effect — at the expense of fuel and therefore range. It is not the first modification noted on Russian air-launched cruise missiles since the start of the full-scale invasion but it does reveal the extemporized nature of some of these adaptations.

Photos that are now circulating on social media show the wreckage of a Kh-101 — also known by the Western reporting name AS-23A Kodiak — in a field. One warhead can be seen within the mangled missile body, while another lies alongside it.

https://twitter.com/DEFENSEEXPRESS/status/1788156510696095969 https://twitter.com/JohnH105/status/1788260845933179036

According to Defense Express, a Ukrainian security and defense publication, the missile was brought down by Ukrainian air defenses on Tuesday night, although a technical failure cannot be ruled out.

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1788090336708882573 Kh-101s under a Tu-95MS, in July 2022. Note the low-observable design of these missiles, designed to reduce their radar cross-section. Russian Ministry of Defense

This seems to be the first solid evidence of a Kh-101 modified with a second warhead. The first claims that such a weapon was being used emerged at the end of March among Ukrainian military bloggers. It was claimed that one of the missiles had been shot down, revealing two charges, with a combined weight of around 1,760 pounds compared to around 1,000 pounds for the single warhead in the standard Kh-101.

The second warhead was said to contain steel fragments. A fragmentation charge would render the weapon more effective against personnel and softer targets as well as increasing its lethal radius and blast damage. It could also be useful if accuracy is more limited.

The standard 9E-2648 warhead from a Kh-101 that came down in Ukraine in March 2022. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense

It should be pointed out that this is a very different solution to the kinds of twin warheads found in certain Western cruise missiles , in which a precursor charge is used to punch through hardened structures followed by a main change that detonates after breaching the target. The Russian solution is very much more crude and only intended to enhance area effects, but that’s not to say it won’t be effective above ground.

The implication of the second warhead is that the fuel capacity of the Kh-101 has been reduced since this would be the obvious way of creating more internal space. However, sacrificing fuel (and thereby range) is not a concern for Russia so long as it’s using Kh-101s to hit targets in Ukraine. With a reported maximum range of between approximately 1,870 and 2,480 miles, the basic Kh-101 can strike targets almost anywhere in Europe when launched within Russian airspace.

Targets within reach of the Kh-101 fall within the yellow circle, based on an estimated maximum range of 2,485 miles and missile launch directly over the Tu-160 home base of Engels. Google Earth

The Kh-101 is launched by both Tu-160 Blackjack and Tu-95MS Bear-H bombers operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces, or VKS.

According to an assessment from the U.K. Ministry of Defense, in its latest intelligence update on Ukraine, the twin-warhead Kh-101 modification has likely reduced the missile’s range by half. This would put it at somewhere between around 935 and 1,240 miles. Even at the lower end of this scale, the range would be sufficient to strike anywhere in Ukraine without the aircraft having to leave Russian airspace.

With this in mind, the decision to modify the Kh-101 in this way makes a good deal of sense for Russia, provided it doesn’t interfere with the flying qualities of the missile.

The radius of a twin-warhead Kh-101, based on a predicted lower-end range of 935 miles, with a launch from directly over the Tu-160 home base of Engels. Google Earth

As the U.K. Ministry of Defense points out, the twin warheads should make the Kh-101 notably more lethal, a major concern for Ukraine and its civilian population, who have been bearing the brunt of Russian long-range cruise missile attacks, much of which is aimed at energy infrastructure.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense states:

“The [Russian Long-Range Aviation] Command has sought to modify its systems and tactics throughout the conflict to: increase survivability as too many missiles were being intercepted by Ukrainian air defense systems; enhance capabilities to have greater effect; and use up older missiles as the VKS had depleted more modern systems in the early days of the conflict.”

Another feature of the Kh-101 that has become obvious since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine is its ability to release decoy flares in flight . Kh-101s have been noted employing this capability in Ukraine since at least January 2023, although a self-defense function of some kind is understood to have always been present in these missiles.

There have also been reports of Russia fielding a new countermeasure-equipped Kh-101 subvariant, known as the izdeliye 504AP. According to these accounts, the revised countermeasures are intended to “jam” enemy surface-to-air missiles, which could suggest dispensers loaded with chaff.

Other modifications made to existing air-launched cruise missiles, and specifically their warheads, have been reported on the earlier Kh-55, known to NATO as AS-15 Kent.

In late 2022, reports emerged that examples of the Kh-55 were having their normal nuclear warheads removed entirely and were being used unarmed. In this capacity, their value would be as decoys that put further pressure on Ukraine’s air defenses and provide false targets, increasing the likelihood of ‘real’ missiles and drones getting through.

Even older than the Kh-55 is the Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen), a supersonic cruise missile with a primary anti-shipping role. Examples have been used against land targets in Ukraine, some of these missiles reportedly also being fitted with cluster warheads, as discussed in this previous article .

As we discussed in the past, the Kh-22’s advantages include its supersonic speed and terminal dive on its target, making it very hard to intercept . However, the missiles are also inaccurate against ground targets, a factor that would be mitigated somewhat by a cluster munition warhead.

All these examples reflect Russia’s willingness to adapt its legacy weapons to better suit the demands of its war in Ukraine. They also reveal the limits in terms of the availability of more appropriate missiles .

It remains to be seen if the twin-warhead Kh-101 will be a more regular feature of Russia’s strikes on Ukraine. But if it does prove viable, its additional destructive power will be bad news for Ukraine and will once again highlight the country’s need for more and more effective air defense systems to counter these and other threats.

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Portugal's new government is aligned with the European Union's intention to ramp up sanctions on Russia's energy sector over its invasion of Ukraine, Environment and Energy Minister Maria da Graca Carvalho has said.

Ukraine war latest: Russia's troops 'partially pushed back' from key town, Ukraine claims - as Putin's offensive 'appears to slow'

The Ukrainian president has cancelled visits to Spain and Portugal after Moscow's forces began a new offensive in the northeast of the country. Submit your question on the war for our experts to answer in the box below.

Wednesday 15 May 2024 18:21, UK

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• Ukraine 'partially pushes back' Russian troops from Kharkiv town
• Russian offensive in Ukraine 'going to plan', Putin says
• Analysts say Russian offensive 'appears to have slowed'
• Situation there 'extremely difficult'
• Zelenskyy postpones all foreign visits due to 'situation in Kharkiv'
• US announces $2bn in extra aid for Ukraine
• Russia downs missiles launched at Crimea
• Analysis:  Putin's 'baffling' reshuffle explained
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell

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We're pausing our live coverage for the day, but we'll be back with more updates tomorrow. 

 By Ivor Bennett , Moscow correspondent 

You've heard of the transatlantic Special Relationship. 

This is the "no limits" partnership - a term coined when Vladimir Putin visited Beijing in February 2022.

It was just days before he ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A lot's changed for Russia since then, of course. It’s now an international pariah. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is China’s support.

Why? For one, Presidents Xi and Putin share a similar outlook. Both oppose external "interference" in domestic affairs, and long for a "multipolar" world.

There are economic benefits for both, too. But this is not an equal partnership. The power lies with Beijing.

"Because of the war, Russia is in desperate need of any kind of partnership", said Alexandra Prokopenko, a Berlin-based fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, adding that Beijing had provided "a real lifeline" for Moscow.

"China is not only a market for Russian oil and gas, which is the major source of the currency for the Russian budget, but also China’s become a very important source of imports to Russia," she said.

Putin won't like being the junior partner, but it’s a role he’s clearly willing to accept, given the benefits.

Last year, trade between the two nations soared to $240 billion - an increase of more than 25%.

Cheap energy flows one way; cars and telephones come back. But the West fears that's not all Russia’s importing.

The US and others believe Chinese products and dual-use goods, like machine tools and microelectronics, are also fuelling the Kremlin's war machine, by filling critical gaps in its military-industrial.

China denies supplying any actual weaponry, and maintains a neutral stance on Ukraine.

But the assertions have done little to dampen suspicions with US secretary of state Antony Blinken reiterating his "deep concern" today.

Putin's entourage might also raise eyebrows. He’ll be accompanied by his new defence minister, Andrei Belousov, with Putin widely expected to push for more support for Russia's militarised economy.

But despite the "no limits" characterisation of the relationship, analysts say it does have boundaries.

"China knows red lines," Prokopenko said, referring to Washington’s concerns over the extent of Beijing's support.

In her view, the partnership between Xi and Putin should be viewed "as part of a big, big game between the US and China".

In that sense, then, this visit is likely to be more symbolic than anything else. It's the first foreign trip of Putin's new presidential term and signals his priorities.

But in terms of the optics - two strongmen leaders defying Western pressure - one of them is clearly stronger than the other.

These images show Vladimir Putin chairing a security council meeting. 

Former defence minister and new secretary of the council Sergei Shoigu was in attendance - pictured in the first image next to chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov.

Earlier today, Volodymyr Zelenskyy postponed all foreign trips due to the situation in the Kharviv region.

Russia has also claimed to have taken three more settlements in the country - two of which are in the Kharkiv region.

The offensive by Moscow started at the end of last week, and today our military analyst Michael Clarke says Russia has already achieved some of what it intended to do. 

He says by targeting the Kharkiv region Moscow's main goal is to "draw Ukrianian forces from elsewhere". 

"The Russians are trying to stretch the Ukrainian forces all the way round the front.

"If the Russians get to the village of Lyptsi then they can put Kharkiv under artillery barrage, because it is within range of normal artillery weapons.

"More importantly, the village of Vovchansk, may mark the beginning of a bigger offensive that could go southwards or maybe eastwards to link up with other forces."

Despite fierce fighting in Vovchansk, Clarke says the Ukrainians have slowed Russian advances down, by redirecting their best units from the south.

"Parts of their best brigades have been sent north to stem the tide," he says.

"But the Russians have already achieved what they wanted, which is to draw off some of the best troops and equipment which are fighting in Chavis Yar down in the south, which really mattered to the Ukrainians."

Watch Clarke's full analysis here:

Finland will change its legislation to allow thousands of reservists to patrol the country's border with Russia, should there be a sudden wave of migrants. 

"With the changed security situation, we need to complement existing methods with new ways to maintain border security," defence minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement.

Finland, which joined NATO in April last year, has accused Moscow of weaponising migration against the Nordic nation, which the Kremlin denies. 

Finland shut its 1,340km-long border with Russia late last year amid a growing number of arrivals from countries such as Syria and Somalia via Russia.

Away from Kharkiv, and Ukraine has denied Russian claims of progress in the Zaporizhzhia region. 

The Ukrainian military dismissed reports that Moscow's forces had taken control of the village of Robotyne in the southern part of the region. 

"This information is not true," military spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk was quoted by Ukrinform agency as saying.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned the assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. 

Russia's offensive in northern Kharkiv has been the focus of much of the reporting on the war in Ukraine over recent days.

Sky News military analyst Michael Clarke has said the aim of Moscow is to draw Ukraine's forces to that area from the south, thus stretching the country's military resources.

And the latest analysis from US thinktank the Institute for the Study of War suggests that the pace of the offensive "appears to have slowed over the past 24 hours".

The group's experts said the pattern of Russian offensive activity in the area was consistent with assessments that Vladimir Putin's forces are prioritising the creation of a "buffer zone" in the international border area over a deeper penetration of Kharkiv Oblast.

It said several Ukrainian military officials reported yesterday that they believed the situation in Kharkiv Oblast was slowly stabilising.

"Drone footage purportedly from Vovchansk shows Russian foot mobile infantry operating within the settlement in small squad-sized assault groups, consistent with Ukrainian reports," the analysis added.

Two people have been killed after a Russian air attack on infrastructure in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, the regional governor has said.

Serhiy Lysak said on  Telegram that there were a number of people who had been injured, but gave no other details.

Dnipro is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, it sits on the Dnipro River  and is around 300 miles from Kyiv.

Within the last hour, the UK's House of Commons addressed an urgent question on "Russia's aggression relating to Ukraine and the situation in Georgia".

Ukraine has come under vast assault from Russia in recent days, while in Georgia there have been riots as Russia asserted its influence to see a controversial "foreign agents" law passed.

The question was tabled by Jim Shannon, a Democratic Unionist Party politician, and answering on behalf of the government was armed forces minister Leo Docherty.

He noted today was "day 811 of Putin's 'special military operation' - an operation that was supposed to last three days, and he has failed in all his objectives".

But the minister went on to say the conflict was "evolving", and confirmed Russia's latest assault on the Kharkiv region, which was "almost certainly" a bid to "divert Ukrainian resources away from other parts of the front line and to threaten Kharkiv - the second-largest city in Ukraine".

He declared the UK would "not be diverted from our commitment to provide Ukraine with the support they need to prevail", pointing to the vast package announced in January and ongoing efforts to support the Ukrainian military.

Turning to Georgia, the minister said the government was observing events "with concern".

"The United Kingdom, along with our partners, is of course committed to the right of peaceful protest, as we are concerned by the introduction of the law" on foreign influence, he said.

He added that the UK was "a close friend of Georgia" and called for "calm and restraint on all sides".

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Philippines, US simulate mock invasions in largest ever war games

The annual Balikatan joint military exercises conclude on Friday after weeks of live fire drills and new weapons deployments.

Laoag, Philippines – Troops from the United States and the Philippines have launched Javelin missiles and fired howitzers to simulate repelling a maritime invasion along the coast of the South China Sea, in a show of force capping joint war games held in China’s maritime back yard.

The live fire exercises were held throughout the week along the shores of the coastal city of Laoag in northern Ilocos province, the closest mainland Philippine province to China.

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They capped the largest ever Balikatan, or “shoulder-to-shoulder,” joint military exercises between US and Philippine troops, cementing a dramatic policy shift that has seen Washington and Manila become close allies since Ferdinand Marcos Jr became president in 2022.

Tensions have risen amid multiple confrontations between Philippine vessels and the China Coast Guard in the South China Sea. China claims almost the entire area under its nine-dash line, which was rejected by an international tribunal in 2016.

While the US and Philippine militaries would not name their adversaries, this year’s exercises were concentrated around the northern and western shores of the Philippines — close to the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

Parts of the drills were also staged in waters outside the Philippines’ 19km (12-mile) territorial limit, and also outside Manila’s exclusive economic zone, which extends for 200 nautical miles (about 370km).

“The Philippines and US have a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” US Marines Lieutenant General Michael Cederholm, commander of the Balikatan joint task force, told reporters on Monday. “It’s grounded in the seeking of peaceful solutions.

“Make no mistake, if there can’t be a peaceful solution, we have an obligation to our countries to train together.”

Ilocos province lies southeast of China and just south of Taiwan, near areas of the South China Sea that would probably be at the centre of any regional conflict over the disputed waters.

The US and Philippine militaries fired missiles and used howitzer guns stationed along the shore to sink five platoons standing in for amphibious warships.

In northern Batanes, an island province just south of Taiwan, US and Philippine forces simulated the recapture of Itbayat, the country’s northernmost municipality .

The war games elicited a strong response from China, which managed to disrupt at least one live fire exercise in the South China Sea. The Chinese embassy in Manila did not respond to a request for comment from Al Jazeera.

A Chinese warship and two other vessels were spotted near Itbayat as the exercises were held, the Philippine Coast Guard said on Wednesday. The ships left after the coastguard issued a challenge over the radio.

New weapons, equipment

This year’s exercises also showcased new US weapons that could be stationed in the Philippines during a conflict.

For the first time in the Asia Pacific, the US military deployed a new mid-range missile launcher, called the Typhon.

From the northern Philippines, it is able to reach targets in Taiwan, along with Chinese bases and infrastructure in the South China Sea and mainland China.

It is the first such weapon deployed in the region since the US withdrew in 2019 from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that barred the development of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 2,500km.

While the Typhon system was not fired during Balikatan, its deployment now serves to identify launch sites that can be used during a conflict, said Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

“During wartime, all you need to do is just go straight to these launch sites and you can set it up and fire immediately without further preparation,” Koh said.

The US and Philippine militaries also used a hovercraft to land a HIMARS missile system on the western island of Palawan, close to contested areas of the South China Sea.

Last year, the militaries tried and failed to land a HIMARS system at the main port of Batanes. This year, the US military upgraded the port , along with a warehouse and other military infrastructure, as part of an effort to develop functional seaports to offload equipment and troops.

“The longer you stay in the port, the more vulnerable you are,” Koh said. “When you are unloading all your equipment and your troops, that is when you are exposed essentially as a sitting duck.”

Local anxieties

Last year, Washington and Manila announced that four military bases would be added to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement , allowing US troops to utilise a total of nine military sites in the Philippines for training, refuelling and other operations.

Three of those bases are in the northern provinces of Cagayan and Isabela, both close to the Luzon Strait running between the Philippines and Taiwan.

The increasing presence of military troops in civilian areas has alarmed some civilians, worried their location puts them in the path of any future war between the US and China.

“We don’t have to choose between the two,” said Manuel Mamba, governor of Cagayan province. “I do not like foreign forces in my province because I feel we could be dragged into a war which is not ours.”

Mamba has vocally opposed the development of bases in his province for US troops and is among a small yet stubborn contingent of regional and local politicians who have resisted Manila’s turn towards Washington. Marcos Jr’s predecessor Rodrigo Duterte was far closer to Beijing .

Cagayan has received substantial investment from Chinese companies, including an ongoing effort to dredge and develop an international port in the coastal town of Aparri.

The US military builds schools and distributes humanitarian aid during its yearly Balikatan exercises, but Washington has never competed dollar for dollar with the investment promises Beijing can make to local politicians.

Last month, the US and the Philippines announced a new economic investment corridor in Luzon focused on ports, railways and clean energy.

Such US investment would be welcome in Cagayan “if it is not military in nature”, Mamba said. “Maybe [it could be used] only by the Armed Forces of the Philippines if there’s an emergency.”

In Laoag, where live-fire exercises were held, fishermen were ordered not to sail for more than one week. The order cost some fishing boats up to $60 per day in lost income, said Arvin Mangrubang, a priest at the Laoag branch of the Iglesia Filipino Independiente church.

Some communities gave relief stipends of about $9 per day to families that are registered to vote, which Mangrubang said is hardly enough to cover the cost of the exercises to working families.

“We cannot gain anything from that,” he said. “If China reacts to these exercises, the Filipino people will suffer.”