U.S. Navy Expands Tomahawk Warhead Capacity to Support Missile Production.

The U.S. Navy is expanding Tomahawk cruise missile warhead capacity at China Lake to support missile production, with seven first-article units built and a larger explosive mixer inaugurated. The effort aims to keep warhead availability ahead of missile assembly needs, although qualification and equipment commissioning remain essential steps before planned production-rate operations.

U.S. sailors assigned to U.S. Navy Munitions Command Pacific, East Asia Division, Unit Guam load UGM-109 Tomahawk missiles aboard the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Springfield (SSN 761). The loading supports the submarine’s long-range land-attack capability. (Picture source: U.S Department of War/Defense)

Key Tactical Insights:

• Additional production source: China Lake is preparing to supply a portion of Tomahawk warheads, adding capacity intended to keep component availability ahead of missile assembly requirements and support deliveries to the fleet.

• Long-range strike capability: Tomahawk enables ships and submarines to attack distant land targets, giving commanders a precision-strike option without sending an aircrew to deliver the weapon over the target.

• Qualification remains pending: The seven first-article warheads require inspection approval, while the larger mixer is expected online around June 2027; these milestones do not establish that sustained production-rate operations have begun.

U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division announced the progress on November 9, 2026, at China Lake, California. The seven first-article warheads were filled using an existing 150-gallon mixer. Their acceptance would establish China Lake’s initial production warheads and advance its qualification as an additional manufacturing source.

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The command also inaugurated a 300-gallon mixer at the rebuilt Motor Assembly Compound. Its planned commissioning around June 2027 is intended to enable production-rate operations. Twice the nominal mixing volume does not, by itself, establish twice the finished-warhead output: the announcement provides no annual production target.

Raytheon builds Tomahawk missiles, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems machines the warhead cases, and L3Harris loads them with explosives. A September public-private partnership between L3Harris and NAWCWD provides for China Lake to manufacture a share of the warheads. The expansion therefore adds capacity within the existing supply chain.

What is the Tomahawk missile?

The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile used to strike targets deep inland. The Navy launches it from surface ships and submarines. Unlike a ballistic missile, Tomahawk uses powered, aerodynamic flight through the atmosphere, flying at low altitude along a planned route.

The U.S. Navy lists a range of approximately 900 nautical miles, or 1,600 kilometers, for the Block IV/V land-attack configuration. Its guidance combines inertial navigation, GPS, terrain matching, and scene matching to follow its route and approach the target. The Block IV carries a conventional warhead in the 1,000-pound class.

Block IV introduced two-way satellite communications that allow in-flight retargeting. It can also loiter while awaiting a target assignment. Block V incorporates navigation and communications improvements. These features make Tomahawk more flexible than a missile restricted to a single target programmed before launch.

Why Tomahawk matters to U.S. forces

Tomahawk gives U.S. Navy commanders a way to deliver precision strikes from naval forces positioned far from the target. Its range lets ships and submarines contribute to operations ashore without requiring a crewed aircraft to carry the weapon into the target area. That does not make the launching vessel immune to attack, but it provides greater flexibility in choosing where to operate.

U.S. Naval Air Systems Command describes Tomahawk as a weapon for attacking distant fixed targets and supporting special operations forces. In-flight target updates let commanders adjust an attack as circumstances change, while the missile’s loiter capability provides time to respond to emerging requirements.

For the Tomahawk warhead expansion, the military significance lies in the link between that strike capability and the manufacturing capacity needed to sustain its supply. More missile assembly capacity requires components to arrive on schedule. China Lake’s contribution will become measurable through first-article acceptance, commissioning of the larger mixer, and demonstrated production output.

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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.