US Navy seeking to further enhance anti-ship capability of Tomahawk missiles

The US Navy recently unveiled plans to upgrade a number of its existing Tomahawk cruise missiles with specialised seekers that would enable these to be used for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) missions.

The navy said that up to 96 missiles will receive upgrades in the form of specialised ASuW seekers, processing capabilities, and a new type of multi-purpose warhead.

The solicitation from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) said that the "maritime strike Tomahawk" (MST) seeker kit will be incorporated into existing Tomahawk block V missiles to, "enable the capability to hit moving maritime targets through mid-course guidance or via third party or seeker mode, to a terminal seeker area of uncertainty."

If approved by the US Congress, the work to upgrade the block V missiles to MST or block Va standard will commence in the second quarter of FY2026.

The NAVAIR solicitation also indicated that more missiles beyond the initial maximum number of 96 could be upgraded depending on available additional funding.