Tomahawk Missiles: High Usage Strains U.S. Stockpiles and Production

The U.S. has utilized hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles in recent conflicts, significantly exceeding its annual procurement rate and leading to concerns about diminishing stockpiles. This usage highlights a strain on the U.S. defense industrial base's ability to keep pace with demand.

Missile Usage and Stockpiles Under Pressure

Over 850 Tomahawk missiles have been expended in recent conflicts, a figure approximately nine times the Pentagon's average annual procurement rate. The U.S. military's total inventory of Tomahawk missiles is estimated at about 3,100.

Experts express concern over the continuous depletion of long-range strike capabilities, even as efforts are made to replenish stockpiles.

Production Challenges and Future Goals

While the maximum estimated production rate for Tomahawks is 2,330 per year, the actual procurement rate for the U.S. military has been around 90 annually. For fiscal year 2026, the Navy requested only 57 missiles.

Raytheon (RTX) has announced a framework agreement with the Defense Department to scale up production to 1,000 missiles per year over several years.

Efforts to enhance production capacity are currently funded, with work projected to be completed by March 2028.

Tomahawk Missile Overview

Launched from Navy destroyers and submarines, Tomahawk cruise missiles are capable of traveling more than 1,000 miles with precision. Developed during the Cold War, these systems have been continually upgraded and are now also adopted by the Marine Corps and Army. Allied militaries, including Britain's Royal Navy, also field the system.

The Tomahawk has a proven combat record, undergoing over 550 flight tests and used in more than 2,300 operational strikes in various conflicts, including Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and the Red Sea.

Depending on the version and launch platform, a Tomahawk missile costs between $2.2 million and over $4 million.

Broader Munitions Context

Beyond Tomahawks, U.S. forces have deployed thousands of other long-range offensive weapons and utilized Patriot, THAAD, and Standard Missile interceptors at a high rate.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that the U.S. is actively working to revive its defense industrial base to accelerate the production of critical munitions.