The Armada initiates this summer the purchase of its 24 first missiles Tomahawk for 72 million
Spain will not be able to use in the medium term its more powerful weapon without the seen good of the United States
MIGUEL GONZÁLEZ - Madrid - 14/05/2007
Spain will give this summer the final step to be become the third country (after United States and United Kingdom) that counts on the missile Tomahawk ,maximum exponent of the power American military in wars as those of the Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan or Iraq. The program of acquisition of the first 24 missiles, with a price of 72 million euro -that includes its integration in the frigates F-100 and the underwater S-80-, will be initiated as soon as the US Navy remit the Letter of Offering and Acceptance (DIGGER ),that reflects the conditions negotiated with the business manufacturer, the American one Raytheon.
The acquisition of the Tomahawk will suppose a qualitative leap for the Spanish Armada. For the first time, will have a capable missile to reach an objective situated 1.600 kilometers of distance with a margin of error of ten meters. And it will be able to do it without need to risk to its pilots (as occurs with the missiles launched by airplanes), since the security of a ship or a submarine situated far from the reach of an eventual retaliation.
The weapon that will permit to cause is the Tick-Tom (Tomahawk Tactical or Block IV), a missile subsónico of attack to land and smaller reach that its strategic, but gifted ancestors of sensitive improvements, that permit to reschedule it in flight or to elect among 15 white alternative.
Once the Department of Defense respond with an OK to the DIGGER of the US Navy , the program will be set in motion, with a first disbursement of four million euro for this year and a total price of 72 million, along eight exercises.
With this money not only the payment is covered of the 24 first missiles (each one slope some 500.000 euro), but also, and above all, the formation and training of the crews and the adaptation of the platforms.
Operating in 2012
It is predicted that between the years 2008 and 2012, taking advantage of the stop planned to install the missiles antiaircraft Evolved Be Sparrow, adapt the four frigates F-100. It is a matter of a relatively simple arrangement, according to the sources consulted, therefore these ships already have vertical launchers.
The frigate F-105, still in project, and the F-106, slope of approval, the ready shipyards for the Tomahawk will leave. More complex the installation of the missile in the future four underwater results S-80, that will be undertaken in a second phase, taking advantage of its pipes torpedo tube.
The contacts between the greater states of the Spanish Armada and the US Navy for the transfer of the Tomahawk they were initiated in April of the 2002. The sale was approved by the American Navy, but not by the Pentagon, that finally gave green light in June of 2005 by means of a letter of the secretary of state of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, to its then Spanish counterpart, José Bond, with whom was interviewed in Washington a month before.
During this time, after numerous exchanges of visits, the Armada the feasibility study has culminated to install the Tomahawk in the F-100 and the S-80. Along the way other European alternatives have been ruled out, like the Scalp, naval version of the Storm Shadow of MBDA, that still is in phase of development.
The purchase will be done by means of the system FMS, so that the US Navy act of intermediary between the Spanish Armada and Raytheon. Al first order of 24 missiles they will continue new departures, since the needs are reckoned in some 12 missiles by frigate.
Respect al S-80, the Spanish shipyard Navantia and the American firm Lookheed Martin, manufacturer of the system of battle, already they are negotiating an agreement of technical aid to integrate the missile in the submarine.
With all, it more difficult is not to have the Tomahawk, but to be capable of using it autonomously; that is to say, not to depend on the United States for each employment. Without this autonomy, the dissuasive effect would be seen seriously diminished, therefore the eventual enemy be able to be directed directly to the United States without need to understand with Spain.
Military sources recognize that, in a first phase, the capacity of the Spanish Armada will not go a lot beyond "to press the button", while the selection of white will be in the hands of the United States. The use of the Tomahawk will be limited to the occasions in which the Spanish Armed Forces operate in coalition with the United States.
In the medium term, nevertheless, they maintain the same sources, yes would be able to be reached certain autonomy, so that was possible to use the missile without external support, although be to lost in precision.
All the systems of weapons of the latest generation are subject to technical restrictions of the manufacturer, but in the Tomahawk these do unworkable their employment. The missile, that is directed to its objective flying to low height, requires the support of a communications satellites network and observation (beginning for the GPS) of the one that Spain lacks.
Its operation is based on a system that compares the profile of the land and the images grasped by its camera of TV with the data stored in its memory. If Spain wants to include a listing of white, al margin of them facilitated by the United States, should study and to bring up to date its own routes of approximation.
That will be the assignment of the Center of National Planning of the Tomahawk that the Armada wants to set in motion in the medium term. Only then it will be able to say, in property, that Spain has a cruise missile.
