U.S. Navy To Lose Their Tomahawk And Hellfire Missile Programs

Obama to Kill Tomahawk, Hellfire Missile Programs -- Washington Free Beacon

Cornerstone of U.S. Naval power eliminated under Obama budget

President Barack Obama is seeking to abolish two highly successful missile programs that experts say have helped the U.S. Navy maintain military superiority for the past several decades.

The Tomahawk missile program—known as “the world’s most advanced cruise missile”—is set to be cut by $128 million under Obama’s fiscal year 2015 budget proposal and completely eliminated by fiscal year 2016, according to budget documents released by the Navy.

In addition to the monetary cuts to the program, the number of actual Tomahawk missiles acquired by the United States would drop significantly—from 196 last year to just 100 in 2015. The number will then drop to zero in 2016.

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Update #1: Obama seeks to weaken Navy, kill Tomahawk, Hellfire missiles -- Examiner
Update #2: Tomahawk missile chopped -- Legal Insurrection

My Comment: But what makes these cuts so bizarre is that the Pentagon does not even have a replacement missile ready to take the Tomahawk’s place.

More Hellfires For the Army

Hellfire Missiles

A Little Hellfire Goes A Long Way -- Strategy Page

August 27, 2008: The U.S. Army has ordered another 5,000 Hellfire II missiles, at a cost of about $70,000 each. These will be delivered over the next three years. This will bring the total number of Hellfire IIs built to nearly 30,000.

The AGM-114 (Hellfire II) missiles use either an armor-piercing or blast/fragmentation (for use against non-armored targets and bunkers) warhead. The Hellfire II weighs 106 pounds, carries a 20 pound warhead and has a range of 8,000 meters. The missile is most commonly used by the AH-64 or AH-1 helicopter gunship. An AH-64 or AH-1Z can carry up to sixteen Hellfires at once. Predator and Reaper UAVs also use the Hellfire. The missile is popular for use in urban areas, because the small warhead (only a few pounds of explosives) reduces civilian casualties. The missile is accurate enough to be sent through a window (OK, you have to be really good, and lucky, to do this) because of its laser guidance. Hellfire is the most frequently used missile during the war on terror. But since it is a precision weapon, favored for use in residential areas, not a lot are used. Even during the peak of the Surge Offensive in Iraq last year, only 50-100 Hellfires a week were fired, and that high rate was rare.

My Comment: The reason why more are being ordered is because they work extremely well against the enemy. This increase in orders is testament to that track record.