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Australia has joined an exclusive club following the successful firing of a Tomahawk cruise missile by HMAS Brisbane, a major milestone for the future firepower of the Royal Australian Navy.
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The successful test firing makes Australia one of only three nations alongside the United States and the United Kingdom to acquire, and now fire, the Tomahawk cruise missiles. HMAS Brisbane, a Hobart Class destroyer, has successfully fired a Tomahawk missile during a test and evaluation activity conducted off the west coast of the United States.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles celebrated this capability milestone, saying, “The successful test firing of the Tomahawk missile demonstrates the strength of our alliance and defence cooperation with the United States, in support of a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.”
With an extended range of up to 2,500 kilometres, the Tomahawk is a world-class capability, which allows maritime platforms to perform long-range precision strike against land targets. Acquiring this capability significantly enhances the ADF’s ability to deter against any potential threat and keep Australians safe.
“By enhancing our own Defence capabilities, and by working with partners, we change the calculus for any potential aggressor so that no state will ever conclude the benefits of conflict outweigh the risks,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
This Tomahawk firing follows the firings of the Naval Strike Missile and Standard Missile 6 earlier this year and is a practical demonstration of the speed at which the Albanese government is delivering on its commitment to enhance the lethality of Navy’s surface combatant fleet.
Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy echoed the sentiments of the Deputy Prime Minister, saying, “The Tomahawk is the jewel in the crown and a step change in our firepower, deterrence and ability to strike land-based targets at ranges never before available to the Royal Australian Navy.”
Australia will acquire more than 200 Tomahawk missiles, which will be deployed in its Hobart Class destroyers and future Navy platforms, including Virginia Class submarines and, subject to feasibility studies, the Hunter Class frigates.
“The acquisition of Tomahawks, along with Naval Strike Missile and Standard Missile 6, is a game changer for our ADF and comes years ahead of what was previously planned,” Minister Conroy said.
The government has committed $1.3 billion to acquire the Tomahawk capability and bringing it into service several years faster than originally planned.
Designed and produced by Raytheon, the Tomahawk cruise missile has evolved since its initial iterations, with the most recent version called the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk or TACTOM incorporating a data link that allows it to switch targets while in flight and allowing it to loiter for hours and change course instantly on command. As part of the continued development and enhanced lethality of the Tomahawk, in 2020 the US Navy began recertifying and modernising the Block IV missile, extending its service life by 15 years, and resulting in the new Tomahawk Block V series:
