The Silent Service: WEAPON SYSTEMS

Designed to run silently, a submarine can make a lot of noise in a hurry if commanded to do so. Learn about the various types of Weapon Systems in the submarine arsenal.

The Tomahawk (TLAM) is the weapon of choice for remote launch/deep strike capability. The TLAM is an unmanned land attack weapon system that exhibits extreme precision and accuracy against fixed land targets. These targets include high threat installations that would otherwise involve too high a risk to send in military personal to carry out the orders. Other common targets for the TLAM weapon system include enemy communication sites to render the enemy into a state of communication blackout. When the opposition has no means to communicate with the rest of their fleet, it puts the aggressor at an extremely unfair advantage and the victim into a state of confusion and uncertainty. The TLAM is designed to operate under all weather conditions.

There are two main types of TLAM's in use today by the US armed forces. One varient contains a single warhead. That is, the warhead explodes on impact of the desired target. The other varient utilizes a bomblet dispersion technique. In otherwords, it is similar in effect to a cluster bomb. When the missile gets near the target, the warhead seperates in to many smaller warheads, which then explode over a larger target area. The latter is more suited for attacking a land unit with many troops spread out over a large area rather than just one building. A new variant of the tomahawk is being developed called the tactical tomahawk. This new varient will allow the missile's target destination or flight path to be reprogrammed during flight.

The Tomahawk missile is over 18 feet long and weighs more than a ton. It is designed to travel/cruise at speeds of over 500 mph. The cost per missile is around $1 million US dollars.

On the left: A TLAM launched from beneath the depths of the ocean.
On the right: This picture is of a vertical Tomahawk launch that was taken through the periscope on the USS Louisville (SSN 724) during the Gulf war.