Is it true that tomahawk missile "has eyes" that make it can can fly zigzag to avoid mountain, towers and .

Question

back to its programed coordinates?. How long is its reach?

Answer 1

The land attack version of Tomahawk has inertial and terrain contour matching (TERCOM) radar guidance. The TERCOM radar uses a stored map reference to compare with the actual terrain to determine the missile's position. If necessary, a course correction is then made to place the missile on course to the target. Terminal guidance in the target area is provided by the optical Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC) system, which compares a stored image of target with the actual target image.
Unified Commanders develop contingency plans in response to developing strategic situations to achieve National Command Authority directed goals. The Unified Commander passes tasking for TLAM mission development to a Cruise Missile Support Activity (CMSA) for overland mission planning. The National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) provides the necessary databases for planning. Targets and maps are generated for TERCOM and DSMAC. Threat databases are provided for missile attrition analysis. Unified, Joint, and Battle Group (BG) Commanders direct the deployment and employment of the mission. Strike Planners select, task and coordinate TLAM strikes. The Launch platform FCS prepares and executes the TLAM mission. The launch platform launches the missile. The missile boosts and transitions to cruise flight, then navigates on the planned route. During flight, the missile will navigate using TERCOM and DSMAC and GPS (Block III). Enroute, some missiles may also execute a Precision Strike Tomahawk Mission (PST) transmitting its status back to a ground station via satellite communication. The missile executes its planned terminal maneuver and for TLAM-C hits a single aimpoint and for TLAM-D, single or multiple targets.
Primary Function: Long-range subsonic cruise missile for attacking land targets.

Contractor: Raytheon Co. [ex Hughes Missile Systems Co.] Tucson, Ariz.

Power Plant: Block II/III TLAM-A, C & D - Williams International F107 cruise turbo-fan engine ; ARC/CSD solid-fuel booster
Block IV TLAM-E - Williams International F415 cruise turbo-jet engine ; ARC solid-fuel booster

Length: 18 feet 3 inches (5.56 meters); with booster: 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 meters)

Weight: 2,900 pounds (1,315.44 kg); 3,500 pounds (1,587.6 kg) with booster

Diameter: 20.4 inches (51.81 cm)

Wing Span: 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 meters)

Range: Block II TLAM-A – 1350 nautical miles (1500 statute miles, 2500 km)
Block III TLAM-C - 900 nautical miles (1000 statute miles, 1600 km)
Block III TLAM-D - 700 nautical miles (800 statute miles, 1250 km)
Block IV TLAM-E - 900 nautical miles (1000 statute miles, 1600 km)

Speed: Subsonic - about 550 mph (880 km/h)

Guidance System: Block II TLAM-A – INS, TERCOM
Block III TLAM-C, D & Block IV TLAM-E – INS, TERCOM, DSMAC, and GPS

Warheads: Block II TLAM-N – W80 nuclear warhead
Block III TLAM-C and Block IV TLAM-E - 1,000 pound class unitary warhead
Block III TLAM-D - conventional submunitions dispenser with combined effect bomblets

Date Deployed: Block II TLAM-A IOC - 1984
Block III – IOC 1994
Block IV – IOC expected 2004

Costs $569,000 - current production unit cost(FY99 $)
$1,4000,000 - average unit cost (TY$)
$11,210,000,000 - total program cost (TY$)
Total Program 4 170 missiles

Answer 2

Tomahawk cruise missile is a winged, high subsonic speed surface-to-surface missile launched from surface ships or submarines against targets up to 700 miles away.
Aboard ship, Tomahawk is launched from a vertical launcher, while submarines launch Tomahawk from vertical tubes or from standard torpedo tubes.

After launch, Tomahawk follows its pre-programmed mission. The Block II version navigates by comparing what it "sees" on the ground to what is stored in its memory. Block III Tomahawks, first delivered in 1993, added satellite global positioning system (GPS) navigation to the missile's guidance system, thereby extending range, improving accuracy and adding time of arrival control.

The Tomahawk program began in 1972, with production beginning in 1980. The missile's first combat use was in January 1991 in an attack against Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, providing a dramatic demonstration of its capabilities. Navy cruisers, destroyers, battleships and submarines launched 288 land-attack Tomahawks against weapon facilities, missile sites, and command and control centers. Its exemplary performance kept allied losses to a minimum and earned its reputation as the "weapon of choice" against high-value, heavily defended targets.

Hughes Missile Systems Company is developing the next version Tomahawk -- Block IV -- which will be capable of reduced mission planning time, near perfect reliability, greater precision and lethality, and inflight satellite communications.

Tomahawk is produced at HMSC's plant site in Tucson, Arizona. The U.S. Navy is the only current Tomahawk user. The missile also has been ordered by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy for its Trafalgar and Swiftsure submarines

Answer 3

This may sound strange, but it's true. In the first Iraq war in order to program the missile to find it's target they had to fly the missiles over Iran to give it land marks to follow. The direct route to the targets was over to much desert with out enough land marks for it to follow. As far as any one knows, the Iranians didn't even know it.

Answer 4

Its programmed to a certain Target and all obstacles are included in the programming- Not sure on its Range, 1000 mi maybe- Think about it- a 1944 German V-2 could fly 500 miles and hit its target. I think they improved it some by now.

Answer 5

Terain following radar and range depends on the type of warhead.

Answer 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomahawk_missile

It has built in maps and cameras and matches the terrain it sees to the maps stored inside. It is not controlled by a person.

Answer 7

the tomahalk as well as other manned and and unmanned systems have nap of the earth flying systems

Answer 8

it hasnot eyes but the person who controll it on radar may have eyes to direst it path.

Answer 9

yes it has terrain guidance system can even make corners

Answer 10

yes its part of alien technology that is top secret!