Navy Rushes Tomahawk Warheads Amid Iran Conflict — SkimNews
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- U.S. Navy accelerated Tomahawk warhead production via a Sept. 2 modification to General Dynamics' 2019 SLAM-ER contract, requiring delivery of warhead housings within nine months and first article inspections by Q1 2027.
- The contract notice cites "current international conflict" as the reason for the rush, targeting U/RGM-109E TACTOM warhead sections manufactured by GD-OTS.
- Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, the Navy has fired hundreds of Tomahawks at Iranian targets, with stockpile concerns extending to the Navy's ability to sustain a wider Indo-Pacific conflict.
- New warheads will outfit both newly built and recertified Block IV/V Tomahawks, extending the service life of existing inventory rather than solely expanding the fleet.
- The Pentagon has signed parallel acceleration frameworks with major defense companies for other expended munitions, including Navy SM-3 anti-ballistic missiles and Army PAC-3 MSE interceptors.
- Folding production into the existing SLAM-ER contract bypasses the long lead times required to award a new contract or qualify a secondary warhead source, giving Raytheon faster access to critical subcomponents.
Why it matters: The Navy has fired hundreds of Tomahawks at Iran since Operation Epic Fury, and this contract workaround — folding warhead production into a legacy 2019 SLAM-ER deal — is how General Dynamics will replenish both new and recertified Block IV/V missiles by 2027. The move reveals how thin existing stockpiles have become.
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