| The Navy continues to improve the Tomahawk | | | | fins, and air inlet unfold and a turbofan engine |
| cruise missiles to meet the war fighters' needs | | | | takes over for the cruise portion of the flight. |
| for a more flexible and "tactical" precision strike | | | | Once its job is finished, the booster falls away. |
| weapon. As technologies are developed to provide | | | | The missile is capable of flying 500 to 1,000 miles |
| new operational capabilities and/or to reduce | | | | to deliver a 1,000-pound high-explosive bomb to a |
| costs, mechanical testing is often performed to | | | | target. When the bomb explodes, the $500,000 |
| verify mechanical properties before | | | | to $1,000,000 cruise missile is destroyed. Although |
| implementation. | | | | very costly, they are the weapon of choice for a |
| Tomahawk cruise missiles are designed to fly at | | | | variety of quick-strike operations, both because |
| extremely low altitudes at high subsonic speeds. | | | | of their accuracy and their effectiveness in |
| They are launched from destroyers, submarines | | | | evading detection by the enemy. |
| or aircraft, and can hit a target with incredible | | | | When a new case and closure for the motor that |
| accuracy. The missiles were successfully used in | | | | launches the Tomahawk was in development, |
| several conflicts, beginning with Operation Desert | | | | mechanical testing was conducted on the parts |
| Storm in 1991. | | | | after heat treatment to ensure that all physical |
| A cruise missile is basically a 20-foot by 21-inch, | | | | properties were achieved in the process. The |
| pilotless airplane with an 8.5-foot wingspan. At | | | | testing laboratory performed tensile testing on |
| launch, these missiles include a 550-pound | | | | mechanical test specimens machined from the |
| solid-propellant rocket motor. This solid rocket | | | | motor casings and closures. |
| booster accelerates the missile until the wings, tail | | | | |