Why giving Ukraine Tomahawk missiles could be a gamechanger in the Russia war

"Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don't think so. I told that to President Zelensky, because Tomahawks are a new step of aggression, Trump said. I might say, 'Look, if this war is not gonna get settled, I may send them Tomahawks.' Russia doesn't need that. I think it is appropriate to bring that up."

"The Tomahawks are subsonic cruise missiles that are typically launched from U.S. Navy ships and submarines, per the CSIS Missile Defense Project. Historically, some models could carry nuclear payloads. But Ukraine would most likely need to launch them from land. The U.S. Army introduced a land-based launcher, called Typhon, in 2023. Friction point: That means Trump would not only need to provide Tomahawks, but also launchers. In both cases, some officials in the Pentagon would be very worried about depleting U.S. stocks."

"Zoom in: Tomahawks measure roughly 5.55 meters (18.2 feet) long, or roughly 6.25 meters (20.5 feet) with a booster. They're heavy, weighing 1,315 kilograms (roughly 2,900 pounds) at launch. The average cost of a single missile is $1.3 million. The weapon originated in the U.S. with Raytheon (otherwise known as RTX) as the sole manufacturer. The U.S. and its allies have used Tomahawks more than 2,350 times in operational environments, per RTX."

Tomahawk cruise missiles are subsonic weapons with substantially greater range, speed, and payload capacity than many drones and missiles currently used for Ukrainian long-range strikes. Deployment to Ukraine would likely require land-based launchers such as the U.S. Army's Typhon, creating logistical and stockpile concerns within the Pentagon. Individual missiles measure about 5.55 meters (roughly 6.25 meters with a booster), weigh about 1,315 kilograms at launch, and cost roughly $1.3 million each. Raytheon (RTX) is the sole manufacturer, and the U.S. and allies have used Tomahawks more than 2,350 times in operational environments. Some proposals include consulting Russia before providing such weapons.

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