Weapons and Combat Vehicles Under $5 Million

The Tomahawk line item (LI 2101) in the Department of Defense FY 2026 budget supports the procurement of Tomahawk cruise missiles for the Marine Corps, specifically under the Long Range Fires (LRF) program. The primary goal of this program is to maintain and enhance the U.S. military's long-range precision strike capability by acquiring advanced variants of the Tomahawk missile, including Block V and Block Va (Maritime Strike Tomahawk, MST). These missiles are designed to provide increased responsiveness, flexibility, and survivability for joint force operations.

The Block V Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM RGM/UGM-109E) is a central focus of this procurement. Its objectives include preserving the Tomahawk's established long-range strike role while adding new features such as in-flight retargeting, loitering capability, missile health/status monitoring, and battle damage indication. The Block V variant also incorporates improved anti-jam GPS and rapid mission planning and execution, ensuring it remains effective in contested environments. Procurement of these missiles is coordinated by the Navy Tomahawk Program Office to ensure commonality with Navy surface combatants and leverage shared contracts for efficiency.

The Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST, Block Va) introduces a new seeker and guidance package, enabling the missile to engage moving maritime targets in addition to land-based objectives. This capability is intended to address evolving threats in the maritime domain and provide the U.S. military with a versatile strike option against both sea and land targets. A significant portion of procurement is allocated to the MST variant, reflecting its priority for modernization.

The MK 14 Canisters are also funded under this line item. These canisters are essential for storing, transporting, and launching Tomahawk missiles from vertical launch systems (VLS). Procurement is managed through NAVSEA-administered contracts that serve multiple programs, achieving economies of scale and ensuring timely delivery to support missile production schedules. The canisters are procured independently but are synchronized with missile production to meet government-furnished equipment requirements.

Support and sustainment activities are integral to the Tomahawk program's objectives. Funding is allocated for support equipment, including flight test equipment, cyber security upgrades, and conversion of missiles for flight testing. Resources are also dedicated to systems engineering and production engineering support, covering warhead energetics, airframe engineering, production acceptance testing, and integrated logistics support. These efforts ensure the continued reliability, safety, and performance of the Tomahawk missile inventory.

A key programmatic objective for FY 2026 is to complete Tomahawk procurement actions for the Marine Corps and transition all remaining missiles to other services. With the termination of the Marine Corps LRF program, all Block V missiles will be transferred to the U.S. Navy and all Block Va (MST) missiles to the U.S. Army, in accordance with Title 10, USC 2571. This transition is designed to optimize the distribution of advanced strike capabilities across the services while maintaining production rates necessary for industrial base sustainment.

The justification for continued Tomahawk procurement emphasizes the need to sustain a minimum production rate to preserve the industrial base and mitigate obsolescence risks. The FY 2026 budget reflects combined procurement across the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and approved Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases to meet this rate. The program also addresses obsolescence mitigation, including updates to avionics, electrical systems, and materials, ensuring the Tomahawk remains viable through its extended service life. This line item supports the U.S. military's strategic objective of maintaining a credible, flexible, and modern long-range strike capability.