US Navy and Raytheon successfully completed two firing tests with Block V, the new variant of the Tomahawk missile. With its high accuracy and GPS support, the Tomahawk can penetrate into highly protected airspaces and perform attacks on important targets with minimum collateral damage and is equipped with advanced navigation and communication systems.
Raytheon Missiles & Defense Naval Force Vice President Kim Ernzen announced that the trials were going well and if this continues, Block V will be in the inventory of the Navy next year. In addition, thanks to modernization and recertification, the service life of the missile can be extended by 15 years. During the test, the missiles could be directed mid-flight to different targets with new advanced communication systems.
“The Block V capabilities reinforce Tomahawk’s unequivocal role as the Navy’s long-range strike weapon far into the future,” said Capt. John Red, the Navy’s Tomahawk Weapons System program manager. “These tests are tremendous milestones for our teams that have been working on these improvements for several years.”
