Trump mulls arming Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles: What makes them lethal?

Trump is considering supplying Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine, a move that could mark a sharp policy shift and give Kyiv a new edge in its counter-offensive

US President Donald Trump is weighing the option of supplying Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, calling the potential move “a new step of aggression” in its war with Russia, BBC reported on Monday

 

When asked aboard Air Force One whether he intended to send Tomahawks to Ukraine, Trump said, “We’ll see… I may.”

 

The statement followed a second phone conversation over the weekend between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who pressed for stronger military support to bolster Kyiv’s counter-offensive against Russia.

 

Moscow has repeatedly warned Washington against providing long-range missiles to Ukraine, saying such action would escalate the conflict and severely damage US-Russian relations.

 

 

Shift in US policy on intelligence support

 

According to The Wall Street Journal, the US will share intelligence with Ukraine to facilitate long-range missile strikes targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure. The report described the move as a significant policy shift by the Trump administration as it considers arming Kyiv with advanced weaponry capable of striking deep inside Russian territory.

 

US officials said Washington is also urging its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) allies to extend similar assistance.

 

Ukraine has, meanwhile, developed its own long-range missile, known as the Flamingo, though the scale of production remains uncertain.

 

Tomahawk missile: Capabilities and variants

 

The Tomahawk cruise missile is a precision-guided weapon that can be launched from ships, submarines, and ground systems. It is capable of striking targets up to 1,000 miles away with high accuracy, even in heavily defended airspace.

 

As of 2024, Raytheon remains the sole producer of non-nuclear, sea-launched Tomahawk variants.

 

The latest model, the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM), features an advanced data link allowing it to switch targets mid-flight, loiter for extended periods, and alter its trajectory instantly upon command.

 

In 2020, the US Navy began recertifying and modernising the Block IV missile, extending its operational life by 15 years and resulting in the upgraded Tomahawk Block V series:

 

Block V: Modernised TACTOM with enhanced navigation and communication systems.

 

Block Va: Capable of striking moving targets at sea.

 

Block Vb: Equipped with a joint multi-effects warhead designed for diverse land targets.

 

Recent deployments of Tomahawk missile

 

According to Raytheon, US and allied forces have conducted over 550 flight tests of the GPS-enabled Tomahawk and deployed it in combat more than 2,300 times.

 

US Navy warships and submarines fired 66 Tomahawk missiles at Syrian chemical weapon sites during earlier operations. The weapon was most recently used in 2024, when the US and UK navies launched Tomahawks at Houthi rebel targets in Yemen.