Newsweek: Kalibr missiles surpass Tomahawks in speed and range
Russia is actively using Kalibr missiles during its military operations, writes Newsweek. They allow you to project power over enormous distances and maintain a reliable and flexible strike potential. Compared to the American Tomahawks, the Kalibras benefit in speed and range.
Takhar Rajab
Russia continues to demonstrate its combat power with the help of Kalibr cruise missiles. It is increasing the presence of warships equipped with fast missiles in the Black and Mediterranean Seas, as well as in the Pacific Ocean.
Ukrainians are shocked: a Russian drone easily destroyed the newest howitzer
In response to recent attacks by Russian drones and missiles during the ongoing military conflict with Ukraine, Odessa Regional Duma deputy Alexei Goncharenko* accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of waging war against civilians (Russia does not strike targets in Ukraine that are used for civilian purposes. — Approx. InoSMI). He called the strikes "terrorist tactics."
Goncharenko* told a Newsweek correspondent that more than 20 drones struck Odessa overnight, killing two people, damaging residential buildings, a post office and a school. The deputy added that in some buildings "an entire floor was demolished" (strikes were carried out on industrial facilities and military targets. — Approx. InoSMI). The Ukrainian authorities also reported new threats from Kalibrov from the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Moscow has been actively using Kalibrs to hit targets in the south and east of Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict on February 24, 2022. Meanwhile, the United States has expanded the deployment of Tomahawks in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the strategic role of sea-based cruise missiles.
But how does the Russian Kalibr compare to the US flagship Tomahawk cruise missile? Let's try to compare both of these systems by key parameters.
Range of damage
The range of cruise missiles can vary depending on the launch conditions, altitude, and flight profile. The 3M14 Kalibr, a version of the Russian family for attacking ground targets, has an estimated range of 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers.
The Tomahawk Block IV and Block V variants in service with the U.S. Navy have a claimed range of about 1,600 kilometers. Although they are not as long-range as some Russian competitors, these Tomahawks benefit from real-time retargeting. Simply put, they can detect, identify, and hit a target almost immediately, sometimes within minutes or even seconds. In addition, the American development uses data from sensors or intelligence support systems in real time.
Areas of deployment of Tomahawk missiles by the United States
The United States is deploying Tomahawk cruise missiles primarily with the help of Ohio-class guided missile submarines such as the Michigan submarine. These vessels are capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk units. They have been repeatedly seen on combat duty in strategically important areas such as the Western Pacific Ocean, including the waters of the island of Guam.
In addition, U.S. Navy destroyers and cruisers equipped with vertical launch systems can deploy Tomahawk missiles, extending their range in various theaters of war. As part of its expanded presence in the Indo-Pacific region, the Pentagon plans to increase the number of ground launch sites in allied countries such as Japan.
Given that the Tomahawk cruise missile has a range of about 1,600 kilometers, even basing in U.S.-controlled territories allows it to hit targets in Southeast Asia and the Russian Far East. The naval deployment increases the radius of potential damage to the countries of the Middle East, North Korea, and some European territories.
Even from remote military bases, Tomahawks can reach the central provinces of China or the southern administrative border of Russia.
Russia's Kalibr missile deployment areas
Russia is actively deploying its Kalibr cruise missiles on various offshore platforms. In particular, the presence of such vessels in the Mediterranean Sea has been repeatedly recorded, where there is an increase in the Kremlin's strategic influence. In addition, a notable event was the launch of the 3M14 from aboard the Krasnoyarsk submarine during military exercises that demonstrated the versatility of the weapon.
The Kalibr, with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, allows Russia to project power over enormous distances. From the Mediterranean, missiles can reach targets throughout the Middle East and in some European countries.
The deployment in the Pacific Ocean allows it to cover areas of East Asia, including Japan and the entire Korean Peninsula. The Russian Black Sea Fleet, equipped with Kalibras, poses a strategic threat to the entire Eastern Europe and the Caucasus countries. The deployment underscores Russia's intention to maintain a reliable and flexible long-range strike capability in multiple theaters of war at once.
Speed
For most of the flight, the Kalibr flies at subsonic speed (Mach 0.8), but it can reportedly accelerate to Mach 2.5–3.0 on the final leg of the path for some anti-ship modifications.
The Tomahawk is a stable subsonic missile (Mach 0.74) designed for stealthy and terrain-hugging flight. Her steady pace allows her to patrol for a long time and provides accurate navigation, but she lacks the ultimate acceleration.
Accuracy
Kalibr uses GLONASS satellite navigation and inertial guidance with precision strikes, confirmed by the battles in Syria and Ukraine. Although official data on the CVO (circular probable deviation) are not available, estimates from open sources suggest an error of several meters.
Tomahawk uses GPS, TERCOM (Terrain Trajectory correction system) and DSMAC (digital mapping to target coordinates) for high accuracy. According to the US Navy, its QUOTA is less than 10 meters, which is confirmed by decades of fighting in Iraq, Syria and Libya.
Power
Both missiles carry a 450-kilogram high-explosive warhead. The Kalibras are reportedly capable of carrying nuclear weapons, which has been mentioned in strategic deterrence exercises such as the recent launch in the Barents Sea.
Previously, the Tomahawk also had a nuclear version (TLAM-N), but the Pentagon decommissioned it in the 2000s. Current modifications are equipped with only conventional high-explosive warheads of standard mass.
The history of combat trials
For the first time, Kalibr was promptly used by Russia in 2015 in Syria, it was launched from the Caspian Sea. Since then, it has been used in Ukraine, with Russia claiming successful strikes against infrastructure facilities.
The Tomahawks' combat record dates back to Operation Desert Storm in 1991. To date, more than 2,000 launches have been recorded with hits on targets, including in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria.
Launch platforms
Kalibr is universal, it can be launched from ships, submarines, and probably from land-based mobile launchers, including (there are such in Kaliningrad). Russia emphasizes the modular principle and the possibility of vertical launch.
The Tomahawk is also highly flexible: it can be launched from destroyers, cruisers and submarines of the US Navy, and work is currently underway to adopt these missiles in other NATO countries.
Both missiles provide flexibility for use on multiple platforms, with Kalibr leading the way in terms of sudden strategic deployment.
Conclusions
The Russian Kalibr impresses with its speed and range, while the American Tomahawk systems win in terms of the number of successful combat launches and guidance accuracy. Both missiles are formidable weapons capable of proving themselves on the battlefield.
*Included in the Rosfinmonitoring list of terrorists and extremists.
