PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) today announced that a U.S. Navy Tomahawk Block III cruise missile was launched yesterday from USS MILIUS (DDG-69), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer underway in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern Calif. The missile was launched vertically, and flew a land attack mission from the NAVAIR sea ranges.
Seconds after launch from the destroyer’s launch system, the Tomahawk missile transitioned to cruise flight. It flew a fully guided 511-nautical mile test flight using global positioning satellite navigation, to a target site on the NAVAIR land range. The total mission lasted one hour and 11 minutes.
Tomahawk missiles are deployed throughout the world's oceans on numerous surface ships and submarines, including AEGIS-Class Cruisers, Guided Missile Destroyers, and SEAWOLF and LOS ANGELES-Class submarines.
As in all Tomahawk flight tests, air route safety was carefully planned in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration. For safety purposes, the Tomahawk could have been guided by commands from safety chase aircraft.
The Tomahawk program is managed by the Program Executive Office, Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation (PEO(W)). The missile is manufactured by Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ. Tomahawk is a registered trademark of the United States Navy.