Recently, Ukrainian President Zelensky visited the United States to attend the United Nations conference. He specifically met with Trump during this visit and made a request to the U.S., which is to purchase Tomahawk missiles. Currently, it is not very clear what the U.S. stance is on whether they will sell Tomahawks or not. Today, let’s first analyze the performance of the Tomahawk cruise missile and why Ukraine would need Tomahawk missiles from the U.S.
The Tomahawk cruise missile is well-known. It was developed by General Dynamics in 1972 and officially deployed in 1983. The Tomahawk cruise missile’s power system is a traditional turbo engine that maintains subsonic cruise guided by an inertial guidance system with GPS guidance at the end, mainly used for attacking fixed ground targets. The Tomahawk has various types of warheads, such as traditional high-explosive warheads weighing around 1,000 pounds, cluster munitions suitable for covering small targets or hitting soft armor, and penetrator warheads designed to penetrate fortified structures or underground facilities.
Compared to earlier missiles, the Tomahawk’s major innovation lies in its terrain contour matching system. In the ’70s and ’80s, this was a novel technology, making the Tomahawk’s terrain-matching capability a core feature. In simple terms, as the missile flies at a low altitude, it needs to follow the terrain’s elevation changes to avoid obstacles like mountains. The terrain contour matching system compares measured terrain data with pre-existing data in the computer system and uses matching algorithms to determine the missile’s precise location.
The heart of the Tomahawk cruise missile is the F107 turbofan engine, developed from the WR19 series engine. It is a dual-axis, mixed-exhaust turbofan engine, simple in design, low cost, with lower fuel consumption during high-altitude thrust, meeting the missile’s long-range requirements. For example, the Tomahawk Block II has a range exceeding 2,000 kilometers.
Building upon this foundation, the U.S. has continuously iterated the Tomahawk, with engine upgrades, guidance element replacements, electronic components, and computer processing, resulting in the development of the fifth batch. The Tomahawk fifth batch, equipped with radar, is capable of attacking sea-moving targets, with a range of up to 2,400 kilometers.
One challenge for Ukraine in purchasing Tomahawk missiles from the U.S. is the launch platform. The U.S. primarily developed the Tomahawk missile for naval use, with options for vertical launch systems from cruisers and destroyers. U.S. cruisers like the Ticonderoga-class and destroyers like the Arleigh Burke-class are capable of launching Tomahawk missiles, with most Tomahawks launched from naval vessels during conflicts like the Iraq and Gulf Wars.
Submarines can also launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. Early Tomahawk missiles were launched from torpedo tubes, while later models were enhanced with vertical launch systems on submarines. For example, the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines were converted to carry Tomahawk missiles, capable of carrying 154 missiles, while Virginia-class attack submarines equipped with 12 vertical launch units can also launch Tomahawks.
However, Ukraine currently lacks even decent escort ships, let alone large destroyers and submarines capable of launching Tomahawk missiles. The U.S. Army did develop a ground-based version of the Tomahawk cruise missile, known as the BGM-109G or Gryphon land-based Tomahawk missile.
Deployed in 1983, the land-based Tomahawk cruise missile system could carry four Tomahawk missiles and launch them vertically. After entering service, these land-based Tomahawk systems were deployed to six locations in Europe, including air force bases in the UK, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. By 1983, they achieved initial operational capability. Each launch unit consisted of four launch vehicles, two launch control centers, and 16 support vehicles including medical personnel, maintenance technicians, and more.
However, in the late ’80s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed the INF Treaty, banning the use of land-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range between 500 to 5,500 kilometers. This meant the U.S. had to withdraw its land-based Tomahawk cruise missiles and Pershing ballistic missiles in 1988. All these missiles were transferred to the “boneyard” on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, signifying the absence of operational land-based Tomahawk cruise missile launch vehicles and control systems from the U.S. military.
After the U.S. officially withdrew from the INF Treaty in 2019, they developed a new platform known as the Triumph system, capable of launching Tomahawks. In recent years, the Triumph system has been widely deployed, featuring the relocation of the naval MK-41 Vertical Launch System to launch vehicles loaded in shipping containers, transported by trailers, enabling vertical launch of missiles.
In April 2024, the Triumph system was deployed to Luzon Island in the Philippines, and in 2025, it was deployed at an air force base in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, during joint exercises with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces and U.S. Marine Corps. The U.S. is actively developing the Triumph system and deploying it in the Asia-Pacific region, allowing for long-range strikes along the coast or inland regions of China.
Therefore, if Ukraine imports Tomahawk cruise missiles from the U.S., they must also acquire the Triumph system. The next question arises – why would Ukraine, having various types of drones and developing long-range missiles like the Firebird, still need Tomahawk cruise missiles? In an interview with the U.S. news media outlet Axios, Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine could penetrate into Russian territory using drones but faced difficulty with advanced air defense systems protecting vital military targets. Additionally, Zelensky stated that while Ukraine may need it, acquiring Tomahawks doesn’t necessarily mean they will use them; having them could simply put pressure on Putin and prompt dialogue.
In essence, Ukraine acquiring Tomahawks serves two purposes. Militarily, it aids in overcoming Russia’s air defense systems to target critical political and military objectives. Diplomatically, it increases pressure on Putin. Geographically speaking, Moscow is only about 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, while St. Petersburg is roughly 900 kilometers. With Tomahawks, Ukraine could deploy the system further inland, covering the majority of western Russia, creating significant strikes with low-altitude cruise capabilities and high precision, coupled with 1,000-pound warheads, posing a substantial threat to Russian military targets.
The Tomahawk cruise missile, with its long-range capabilities and extensive combat experience, could greatly deter Russia if provided to Ukraine. However, as of now, President Trump has not yet agreed to supply Tomahawks to Ukraine. After six months of negotiations, Trump likely realizes that Ukraine’s primary obstacle to peace lies with Putin, and only by providing more weapons can Russia take peace talks seriously.
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