The US Navy has awarded Raytheon a $380.8 million contract modification to upgrade and recertify existing Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles to the more advanced Block V configuration. The award formalizes a contract announced in December 2024 and increases the program’s total value to approximately $476.5 million, reinforcing long-term investment in long-range strike capabilities.
The modification expands modernization work on Lot Five and Lot Six missiles that will be operated by the US Army, US Marine Corps, and allied forces in Australia and Japan. Most of the work will be carried out at Raytheon facilities in Tucson, Arizona, and Boulder, Colorado, with the program expected to conclude by April 2029. The effort includes depot-level recertification, system upgrades, and the delivery of associated hardware, spares, and rotable assets.
The modernization initiative is aimed at extending the service life of the Tomahawk inventory while adding new capabilities to ensure effectiveness in contested and electronically complex environments. The Block V family, introduced in 2021, features enhanced navigation and communications systems designed to improve resilience against electronic countermeasures and adversary defenses.
Block V includes two main variants: Block Va, which introduces a new seeker for engaging moving maritime targets, and Block Vb, which replaces the legacy warhead with the Joint Multiple Effects Warhead System to improve lethality against hardened and complex targets. While the missile’s exact range remains classified, it is widely assessed to exceed 1,000 miles, supporting long-range precision strike operations.
