The Tomahawk AGM-86 is an unmanned ALCM (Air Launched Cruise Missile) designed to attack ground targets from an aircraft such as the B-52 or B-1.
The wings, tail surfaces, and engine inlet of the AGM-86 are folded while the ALCM is being carried but are deployed upon launching. Powered by a small turbofan engine which starts when the missile is released, the Tomahawk AGM-86 flies at low altitudes. The slim wings of the Tomahawk are sufficient because the ALCM does not takeoff or land and flies only at high speed.
The Tomahawk AGM-86 is programmed to fly to a preselected target by inertial guidance and by comparison techniques through which prerecorded geographical features are matched with the terrain “seen” by the missile’s sensors.
Each B-52 carries at least twelve AGM-86’s. This permits a bomber force to launch them in large numbers, saturating defenses. Further hampering enemy defenses are the small size and low-altitude flight profile of the Tomahawk, which make it difficult for the enemy to detect on radar.
The AGM-86B became operational in December 1982.
Tomahawk AGM-86 Performance
| Maximum Speed | 500 mph. |
|---|---|
| Range | Approximately 1500 miles |
| Operating Altitude | Approximately 100-500 ft. above terrain |
| Maximum Altitude | Above 20,000 feet (estmated) |
Tomahawk AGM-86 Specifications
| Country of Origin | USA. |
|---|---|
| Similar Aerial Platform(s) | Apache. |
| Role | Air-launched cruise missile. |
| Armament | Gihh Explosive (HE) or W-80-1 nuclear warhead |
| Engine | Williams International F107-WR-101 turbofan of 600 lbs. thrust |
| Span | 12 ft. |
| Length | 20 ft. 9 in. |
| Body diameter | 24 in. |
| Weight | 3,100 lbs. loaded |
Tomahawk AGM-86 WEFT Description
| Wings | Low-mounted, swept-back, and untapered with small, square tips. |
|---|---|
| Engine(s) | Turbofan in aft section. Oval intake and a round exhaust. May have propfan. |
| Fuselage | Slabsided with flat bottom. Tapers to a round nose and at rear section. |
| Tail | Fin backtapered with square tip. Flats low-mounted and straight. Some versions have V-tail. |
Countries which Fly the Tomahawk AGM-86
USA.
Additional Reading on the Tomahawk AGM-86
Air Launched Cruise Missile - ALCM AGM-86C
Official Boeing Data Sheet on the Tomahawk AGM-86