Washingtonpost.com:



	Iraq Special Report U.S. Forces in the Gulf

TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILE
The Navy's Tomahawk cruise missile is nicknamed the "smart" weapon because it is a laser-guided, precision weapon. It was promoted as a highly accurate, difficult-to-detect weapon that could be launched from air, land or sea, miles away from the target. The 1991 Gulf War marked the first time the missiles were used in combat.

Characteristics
Service: U.S. Navy
Contractor: Hughes Aircraft Co.
Cost per unit: $750,000
Length: 18 feet, 3 inches
Weight: 2,630 pounds
Range: For land attack, 690 miles
Speed: 550 mph
Warhead: 1,000 pounds

How it works
The missile is launched from submarines or ships. After launch, a solid propellant accelerates the missile until a small turbofan engine takes over for the cruise portion of flight.

It has a guidance system with components that make course corrections for pinpoint accuracy. To determine the missile's location, one component compares terrain with satellite photographs of Earth stored in on-board computers. Another component receives data from satellites that provide guidance.

The Tomahawk is difficult to detect because of its small profile on radar, low-altitude flight and turbofan engine, which gives off little heat that can be picked up by infrared detectors.

Source: Department of Defense and The Washington Post

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