HMAS Brisbane, a Hobart-class destroyer, has been operating alongside the US Navy for five months, based out of San Diego, California. During this deployment, the vessel was prepared to carry and use the advanced Tomahawk missiles, which Australia is acquiring as part of an approved purchase by the US Department of State in March 2023.
The approved sale includes up to 220 Tomahawk missiles, of which 20 are the advanced Block IV variant. While the intergovernmental Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for this transaction has not yet been confirmed, it reflects a growing strategic partnership between the United States and Australia under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
Currently, the Royal Australian Navy operates three Hobart-class destroyers, the only vessels in its fleet equipped to deploy Tomahawk missiles. By 2031, these will be joined by the new Hunter-class frigates, based on the UK’s Type 26 City-class design, which will also feature Tomahawk compatibility.
Australia becomes the second export operator of the Tomahawk missile, joining a growing list of nations investing in this precision-strike capability. Recent years have seen an uptick in interest, facilitated by relaxed export restrictions from the US government.
In early 2024, Japan formalised a purchase agreement for up to 400 Tomahawk missiles, while nations such as Canada and the Netherlands have expressed interest. Additionally, the UK is reportedly considering acquiring surface-launched variants to complement its existing submarine-launched UGM-109 stockpile operated by the Royal Navy.
