OREANDA-NEWS. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and the U.S. Navy have delivered the 4,000th Tomahawk™ Block IV cruise missile to the fleet. The highly advanced missile can circle for hours, shift course instantly on command and strike with pinpoint accuracy.

Launched from ships or submarines, the Tomahawk missile can fly into heavily defended airspace 1,000 miles away to conduct precise strikes on high-value targets with minimal collateral damage.

"When it comes to flexibility, accuracy and firepower, no other cruise missile in the world compares to Tomahawk. That's why it's been called the nation's weapon of choice," said Mike Jarrett, Raytheon Air Warfare Systems vice president. "We're not resting on our past success. Raytheon and the U.S. Navy are modernizing Tomahawk to provide sailors with the capability they need to stay ahead of the evolving threat."

Upgrades to the Tomahawk missile include enhancements to the weapon's communications and navigation capabilities, while adding a multi-mode seeker so it can hit moving targets at sea. Some of these enhancements will be implemented beginning in 2019. Other upgrades will be phased in over time. Modernized Tomahawk cruise missiles will be in the U.S. Navy's inventory beyond 2040.

"Navy Sailors around the globe rely on the Tomahawk weapon system to preserve freedom at home and abroad," said Capt. Mark Johnson of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command. "Working with Raytheon, we plan to continue upgrading and delivering Tomahawks far into the future."

Fired in combat more than 2,300 times, Tomahawk cruise missiles are used by U.S. and British forces to defeat integrated air defense systems and conduct long-range precision strike missions against high-value targets.