US Navy Tomahawk land attack missiles (TLAM) were used yesterday by US forces to punish Iraqi aggression. Dr John Waszczak, managing director of Hughes UK, describes his company's deadly cruise missile
Q: Could you describe why TLAMs are used in operations such as yesterday's strike on Iraq?
A: The TLAM is a stand-off weapon system that is used to go after heavily-defended targets at the beginning of one of these operations.
It is ideal for destroying air defence sites so follow-on aircraft can come on with heavy ordnance.
I can't comment specifically on what happened yesterday.
Q: What are the basic capabilities of the weapon?
A: The TLAM has a range of more than 1,100km (700 miles), has a 450kg (1,000lb) warhead and is 617cm (243in) long.
The programme started development in the 1970s and the system went into service with the US submarine and surface fleet in 1970.
It can be fired from a standard submarine torpedo tube.
Q: Why is the British Royal Navy buying TLAM for its Trafalgar and Swiftsure class nuclear attack submarines?
A: The First Sea Lord Jock Salter said recently, the Royal Navy sees the TLAM as a coercive rather than a destructive weapon. You can put it in a submarine and go anywhere. Aircraft-launched stand-off weapons are shorter-range battle systems that have a completely different role.
Q: When will the Royal Navy have the TLAM?
A: It was ordered in January 1996 and it will be late 1997 before the first deliveries are made of the 65 to 67 missiles in the programme.
Q: How many TLAMs are in service with the US Navy?
A: In the US programme more than 3,000 missiles have been delivered and 288 were fired in the Gulf War. It has also been fired at Bosnia. Deliveries will continue through fiscal years 1998/99 and the US is in the process of upgrading from Block II to Block III standard missiles. Upgrades will continue past the year 2000.
Q: Will the Royal Navy get the new version?
A: Yes, the Royal Navy is buying the latest configuration which has GPS in addition to the terrain contour matching radar guidance system. With GPS guidance you need less data for mission planning and can do it quicker.
Q: If you wanted to buy a TLAM how much would it cost?
A: A TLAM is not an expensive weapon - $600,000 apiece. The Royal Navy is also having to pay for integration into submarines and a mission planning system.
Q: Who can buy the TLAM?
A: The UK is the first export customer due to the unique relations between the UK and US. In areas such as the Middle East a less capable system would be offered.
Q: Are you developing a version of the weapon that can destroy targets such as Saddam Hussein's hardened bunkers?
A: Yes, we are attempting to develop a version to defeat deep buried hardened bunkers. That could be in the next block upgrade of the TLAM. Thomson-Thorn in the UK is working with us on that, using the British Defence Evaluation and Research Agency's Lancer warhead.
Source: Flight Daily News
