On Monday, August 17th, the US Navy announced a heavyweight contract worth $22.9 billion awarded to Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX, with the aim of significantly accelerating the production of Tomahawk cruise missiles to supplement military stockpiles and address current strategic needs.
According to statements released by Raytheon and the US government, this massive contract is part of the US War Department’s “Arsenal of Freedom” program, which will assist in increasing the annual production of Tomahawk cruise missiles to over 1,000 units and provide relevant support services.
In recent years, the United States has been providing a large number of weapons to allies while continuing to deplete ammunition in conflicts with Iran, sparking concerns in various sectors about insufficient stocks of air defense and precision-guided weapons.
According to Reuters, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao stated in a declaration, “By closely collaborating with the industry to expand our ammunition industrial base capabilities, the War Department is utilizing all available tools to meet the operational needs of the present.”
The Tomahawk cruise missile remains one of the most mature and versatile long-range strike weapons of the US military. With a track record of decades of combat, the Tomahawk can be launched from a variety of platforms, providing military commanders with a reliable and flexible option to strike high-value targets.
According to the Associated Press, Phil Jasper, the CEO of Raytheon, stated, “The Tomahawk is the Navy’s premier strike weapon, capable of hitting enemy targets hundreds of miles away without putting our sailors in harm’s way.”
“We are heavily investing in our workforce, technology, supply chain, and facilities to significantly increase production capability to meet the surging demand,” Jasper said.
In recent years, RTX has invested heavily in increasing the production of Tomahawk and other critical munitions, with the delivery volume of Tomahawks in the first half of 2026 being three times that of the first half of 2025. With this contract, RTX will expand its production capacity and collaborate with hundreds of small and medium-sized suppliers across the United States to rapidly expand the supply chain scale, ensuring a stable and predictable supply of weapons for the US Navy and allied nations.