WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy is accelerating production of Tomahawk cruise missile warhead housings by modifying an existing 2019 contract originally established for the Stand-Off Land Attack Missile–Expanded Response (SLAM-ER).
A September 2 contract notice said the Navy is tasking General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) to manufacture and deliver a redacted number of warhead housings within nine months. The components will support the warhead sections of the U/RGM-109E Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM).
The notice said the accelerated schedule is driven by an “immediate demand for increased missile production” resulting from the current international conflict. First article inspections must begin no later than the first quarter of 2027 to support the required delivery schedule.
Existing Contract Shortens Timeline
GD-OTS already manufactures warhead casings for both SLAM-ER and Tactical Tomahawk missiles. Using the existing contract allows the Navy to avoid the longer process of awarding a new contract or qualifying another supplier.
The Navy said GD-OTS has the manufacturing capability, technical experience and required technical data to meet the accelerated schedule. The company is based in Anniston, Alabama.
The underlying contract is N6893619C0039. The September 2 notice identifies the work as a firm-fixed-price modification awarded on an other-than-full-and-open basis, with an award date of August 20, 2026.
The new warhead housings will support both newly produced and recertified Block IV and Block V Tomahawk missiles.
Tomahawk Production Expansion
The move comes as Raytheon, an RTX business, expands overall Tomahawk production. On August 17, Raytheon announced a $22.9 billion, seven-year contract to increase annual Tomahawk production to more than 1,000 missiles, formalizing an earlier framework agreement reached in February.
Raytheon said the contract will support increased production capacity and investment in its workforce, facilities, technology and supply chain. The company also reported delivering three times more Tomahawk missiles during the first half of 2026 than in the same period of 2025.
The expansion follows increased use of precision-guided weapons and efforts to replenish U.S. inventories. Reuters reported that the new Tomahawk contract is part of a wider effort to rebuild stocks of high-end munitions.
Separately, an August GD-OTS modification valued at $41.57 million covered 559 WDU-36/B warhead cases and 559 fuzewells for Tactical Tomahawk missiles. The work is centered in Anniston, Alabama, and is scheduled for completion in April 2028.
The latest modification adds another step to the Navy's effort to increase Tomahawk availability while avoiding the longer timeline associated with a new contract and supplier qualification.
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