U.S. officials fear that handing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine would strain production, jeopardise strategic priorities, and push the Pentagon into political conflict with Moscow.
Land Deployment Constraints
Tomahawks were engineered in the 1970s as naval weapons launched from surface and submarine ships. Ukraine has no fleet and no aircraft platform for maritime Tomahawks. A purely ground launch, the only viable option, was never the standard and remains technologically uncommon.
Cold War Roots and the INF Treaty
In 1983 the U.S. introduced a land‑based version called Gryphon, with about a hundred launchers stationed in Western Europe. All were withdrawn and scrapped in 1991 under the Intermediate‑Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The treaty dissolved in 2019 after the U.S. withdrew, and U.S. officials cited Russian-secret development of a prohibited maneuvering missile as the impetus to re‑create the ground variant.
Re‑engineering a Ground Tomahawk
The modern solution is a large container holding a modified Mk‑70 vertical‑launch missile rack that can carry up to four Tomahawks or SM‑6s. Four such containers on truck trailers, plus command and support vehicles, form a Typhoon battery. The first battery entered service in 2023.
Production Pace and Prioritisation
Only two batteries are deployed for the Pacific; a third is built for Europe and is expected in 2026. Three additional batteries are ordered, split between the Pacific and Europe, with a planned production rate of one per year, giving six batteries in total. The program’s price has never been disclosed, and German interest in 2025 has not yet been formalised.
Actual Stock and Availability
Approximately nine thousand Tomahawks were bought by the U.S. in the early 1980s, of which about 2,500 were fired. The remaining stock is scattered among various commands, many of which are reluctant to transfer their ammunition. Production remains a few dozen missiles a year, with 57 scheduled for next year. These figures make rapid delivery to Ukraine unlikely.
Limited Tactical Advantage for Ukraine
A single Typhoon battery holds up to 16 missiles with a practical range near 1,500 km, comparable to Ukrainian drones. Tomahawks offer larger warheads and higher accuracy, but the modest increase in range and firepower would not decisively alter the war or make a true game‑changer for Ukraine.
