They didn't know it was a school
They didn't know it was a school
They didn't know it was a school
They didn't know it was a school
They didn't know it was a school
They didn't know it was a school
The targeting requirements pretty much eliminates this as a possibility.
ai search: Explain Tomahawk targeting protocols.
Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) use a multi-stage planning and execution process that combines pre-planned navigation data, weaponeering calculations, and layered command approval. Modern Block IV/V “Tactical Tomahawks” add in-flight retargeting, but the core requirements remain the same.
1. Target development and validation (joint targeting cycle)
A candidate site first enters the joint targeting process (JP 3-60). Intelligence analysts develop the target using imagery, signals intelligence, and other sources. It is then validated against rules of engagement, no-strike lists, and collateral-damage estimates. Validated targets go onto a Joint Integrated Prioritized Target List (JIPTL) that the joint force commander (or designated board) must approve before any munition is assigned.
2. Weaponeering
Planners calculate how many missiles, which warhead type, and which aimpoints are needed to achieve the desired effect (probability of damage). This accounts for target construction, expected accuracy, and collateral effects. The output is a specific “task” that includes coordinates, desired time-on-target, and number of missiles.
3. Mission planning (route and guidance data)
Dedicated Cruise Missile Support Activities or Theater Mission Planning Centers build the flight path. The route must stay within range, avoid known defenses and terrain obstacles, and include update points for two navigation systems:
TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) uses stored digital elevation maps to correct the missile’s inertial navigation mid-course.
DSMAC (Digital Scene-Matching Area Correlator) compares a real-time camera image of the terminal area with a pre-loaded reference photo to achieve final accuracy (typically a few meters).
Modern missiles also use GPS. Planners select the terminal dive or impact maneuver and package the data into the missile’s mission file. Traditional planning took 24–80 hours when the maps and photos were already on hand.
4. Predesignation and launch-platform assignment
A Tomahawk Strike Coordinator matches each approved task to specific missiles on specific ships or submarines, considering inventory, range, other tasking, and redundancy. The firing unit then loads the mission data. Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS) lets a ship generate or modify a mission in minutes if required.
5. Launch authorization and execution
Final release authority rests with the designated commander (often the strike group or numbered-fleet commander) after confirming the target remains valid. Once airborne, Block IV and later missiles can receive in-flight updates or new aimpoints via two-way satellite link and can loiter while sending back imagery. A human still issues the “engage” command under current doctrine.
The process is deliberately layered so that maps, photos, intelligence, weaponeering, legal review, and command approval all occur before a missile leaves the tube. Failures typically occur when one of those inputs (especially the underlying intelligence or imagery) is stale rather than when the missile itself is inaccurate.
