Comments on the Tomahawk missile used by the US in the airstrike

(Baonghean.vn) - General Rick Francona said, “This is exactly what the Tomahawk was designed for. It can hit low-altitude targets and hit fixed facilities without risk to the entire crew.”

The destroyer USS Barry launches a Tomahawk missile on March 29, 2011 from the Mediterranean Sea. Photo: Getty

US President Donald Trump ordered a direct military airstrike on a military base in central Syria early on April 7 in response to a chemical attack in the Middle Eastern country earlier this week. US officials said two US warships in the eastern Mediterranean deployed 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles. According to military experts, Tomahawks are a good choice for this type of attack.

“This is what the Tomahawk was designed for,” said General Rick Francona. “It can hit low-altitude targets and hit fixed facilities without risking the crew.”

Tomahawks are medium-range cruise missiles, with a range of about 1,250 km to 2,500 km. They are fired from the sea and fly quite low to the ground, guided by an advanced navigation system, meaning the US can target Syrian air bases from afar.

The key, experts say, is that Tomahawk missiles don’t necessarily go from point A to point B in a straight line. They take a circuitous route by sea, making them very difficult to shoot down. Tomahawks can be fitted with 450kg of conventional nuclear warheads.

Tomahawks were first used by the US in Operation Desert Storm 25 years ago in Iraq. The UK also bought Tomahawks from the US. Each Tomahawk costs 832,000 USD./.

Lan Ha

(According to CNN)