What U.S. Tomahawk missiles could mean for Ukraine’s fight with Russia.

The United States is reportedly preparing to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, expanding Kyiv’s long-range strike capability for the first time. The move could transform Ukraine’s ability to hit key Russian targets while heightening Moscow’s concerns over Western involvement.

Washington D.C., United States, October 17, 2025 - For the first time since Russia’s invasion began, the United States is preparing to deliver BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, according to Western defense sources. The Tomahawk, one of the most advanced precision weapons in the U.S. arsenal, would mark a new phase in Ukraine’s warfighting capacity by allowing strikes hundreds of miles beyond the front lines. Analysts say this capability could disrupt Russian command centers, airbases, and supply depots that have so far operated with relative safety.
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An estimated 1,500 km strike range of a U.S. Tomahawk missile launched from central Ukraine. Key Russian military hubs, including airbases near Voronezh, supply depots in Belgorod, and command centers in Rostov on Don, are within reach, creating a significant threat to Russia’s rear-area logistics and strategic infrastructure. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

Unlike previous aid packages focused on tactical or medium-range systems, the Tomahawk’s capabilities would fundamentally alter the geometry of the battlefield. It would give Ukraine not only reach into occupied Crimea, Donbas, and Zaporizhzhia, but potentially into strategic Russian rear areas that have so far remained untouched by high-precision munitions.

What is the Tomahawk missile?

The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile designed to deliver precision strikes against high-value land targets. Developed in the late 1970s by the United States and first fielded in the 1980s, the Tomahawk has undergone multiple upgrades and is now among the most combat-proven missiles in the world. It has been used extensively in U.S. operations from the Gulf War to Syria, often serving as the first weapon launched in a conflict to neutralize enemy defenses and command structures.

Technically, the Tomahawk is a terrain-following missile that can fly at extremely low altitudes, allowing it to evade radar detection and enemy air defenses. It is powered by a turbofan engine that propels it at a cruising speed of approximately 880 kilometers per hour. Depending on the variant, its range extends between 1,300 and 1,600 kilometers, giving it the ability to strike deep into enemy territory from standoff distances. The missile uses a combination of guidance systems, including GPS, inertial navigation, terrain contour matching (TERCOM), and digital scene-matching area correlation (DSMAC), to deliver near pinpoint accuracy. Its circular error probable (CEP) is often measured in meters, making it one of the most precise long-range strike systems in service.

The destructive power of the Tomahawk comes from its warhead, which typically consists of a 450-kilogram high-explosive unitary charge. This payload is capable of destroying hardened bunkers, air defense sites, radar installations, ammunition depots, and key infrastructure such as bridges or command centers. In its most recent Block IV and Block V configurations, the missile can also loiter in the target area, be re-targeted mid-flight, and communicate with other networked platforms, increasing both its flexibility and survivability in dynamic combat environments. When launched in salvos, Tomahawks can overwhelm enemy defenses, creating tactical shock and operational paralysis before larger air or ground operations even begin. For Ukraine, acquiring such a system would represent a major leap in offensive strike capability, enabling it to degrade Russian command infrastructure and logistics far beyond the reach of existing systems.

Ukraine does not operate ships or submarines with VLS-compatible systems. However, the U.S. Army’s Typhon launcher provides a land-based solution.

The Typhon system, formally known as the Mid-Range Capability (MRC), is a U.S. Army ground-based launcher platform designed to fire long-range precision missiles, specifically the Tomahawk cruise missile and the SM-6 interceptor. Developed by Lockheed Martin as part of the U.S. Army’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) portfolio, Typhon is a key component of the Pentagon’s strategic effort to restore intermediate-range missile firepower following the collapse of the INF Treaty.

The system consists of a mobile launcher unit, based on a modified trailer platform, capable of deploying vertically-launched missiles from Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells, which are standard across the U.S. Navy. It is integrated with an advanced fire control system, secure command and control networks, and multi-domain sensor fusion, allowing real-time targeting and coordination with air, land, and maritime forces.

Typhon was fielded in 2023 as part of a rapid development program initiated under the U.S. Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force. It is capable of launching:

- BGM-109 Tomahawk, a subsonic, long-range land-attack cruise missile with a range exceeding 1,500 kilometers
- SM-6, a multi-role interceptor missile capable of targeting enemy aircraft, cruise missiles, and, in certain variants, ballistic missiles and surface targets.

Unlike air or sea-based systems, Typhon offers the advantage of land mobility, which makes the system harder to detect, target, or preempt. It can be rapidly deployed, repositioned, and concealed, giving commanders a flexible long-range strike option from ground bases in forward-operating theaters.

The Typhon system represents a significant expansion of the U.S. Army’s strike envelope. It bridges the range gap between the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) and strategic air or naval assets. It provides the United States and its allies with the ability to hold adversary targets at risk from ground-based launch points, without depending on air superiority or sea access.

In the context of Ukraine, a potential deployment of Typhon, either directly or through a derivative launcher capable of firing Tomahawks, would provide Kyiv with the infrastructure necessary to field cruise missile capabilities from Ukrainian soil. Its mobility and precision make it a practical platform for deep-strike missions against heavily defended Russian military infrastructure, especially if air-delivered systems are constrained by airspace threats.

The U.S. Army’s Typhon ground-based launcher system, capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles. Mounted on a mobile platform, the system provides long-range precision strike capability from land, allowing deployment in contested environments without reliance on naval platforms. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

If U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles are transferred, Ukraine would gain the ability to conduct deep-strike operations against targets far beyond the front lines. These include critical military facilities that have so far remained out of reach, even with ATACMS or Storm Shadow missiles.

Potential targets include Russian airbases near Voronezh and Kursk, command and control bunkers in Belgorod and Rostov, munitions depots, and naval facilities in occupied Crimea.

With a reach of over 1,500 kilometers, the Tomahawk could neutralize infrastructure that supports Russia’s war effort but lies deep inside Russian territory. Air defenses would be forced to redeploy, weakening their front-line protection and stretching response capabilities.

Comparison of current U.S.-supplied weapon ranges to Ukraine, including HIMARS, ATACMS, and Storm Shadow, versus the extended reach of the Tomahawk cruise missile. With a range of up to 1,600 kilometers, the Tomahawk dramatically expands Ukraine’s ability to strike deep into Russian territory beyond existing long-range systems.

U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited the debate over advanced weapons deliveries by publicly endorsing the idea of supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. In a recent message posted on X, Trump stated, “If Putin keeps pushing, maybe it’s time we let Ukraine show what real precision looks like. The Tomahawk is a beautiful weapon. They know that.” The comment, though unofficial, has added momentum to ongoing discussions in Washington about expanding the scope of military assistance.

Trump’s statement reflects a growing shift among segments of the U.S. political establishment who are increasingly willing to support the transfer of strategic-level weapon systems to Kyiv. His portrayal of the Tomahawk highlights its role not just as a long-range precision strike missile, but as a symbol of American technological advantage and political resolve. In the context of the war in Ukraine, the missile carries both military utility and psychological impact.

By suggesting that such capabilities should be made available to Ukraine, Trump signaled a more assertive approach to deterrence. His remarks imply that under a potential future administration, advanced U.S. weapons like the Tomahawk may no longer be seen as escalatory, but as necessary tools to counter Russian aggression and force a shift in the strategic balance.

Russia’s rear is now vulnerable

Russia’s assumption that its logistical infrastructure was beyond the reach of Ukrainian strike capabilities may no longer hold. Facilities in Crimea, Belgorod, Bryansk, and even further into Russia could be targeted.

Striking rail junctions, airfields, radar arrays, and fuel convoys would create disruption at a strategic scale. The Tomahawk’s accuracy also makes it ideal for disabling hardened positions like command bunkers and underground depots.

Forcing Russia to redeploy S-400 and Pantsir air defense systems to cover rear zones would dilute protection at the front and introduce inefficiencies in command and logistics.

Russia has warned that the transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine would cross a red line. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev claimed such a move would provoke “catastrophic consequences” and blur the line between Ukrainian and U.S. involvement.

Russia’s military doctrine allows for retaliation, including the use of tactical nuclear weapons, if strategic command or national infrastructure is threatened by precision weapons.

Despite these warnings, many Western defense analysts argue that providing Ukraine with credible long-range strike capability is a necessary step to deter further aggression and level the operational playing field.

Conclusion: A shift in strategic balance

The U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile will not end the war, but it will rewrite the rules of engagement. Ukrainian forces will finally be able to hold Russia’s deep rear at risk, imposing a level of cost and uncertainty that Moscow has not experienced during this conflict.

Used surgically, it can disable key supply and coordination nodes. Used in clusters, it can cripple infrastructure.

Perhaps most importantly, the presence of Tomahawk systems signals to Russia that the West is no longer constrained by self-imposed red lines. The battlefield is no longer just in Ukraine, it now extends deep into the strategic heart of the aggressor.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.