Proposed halt of Tomahawk missile buys raises concerns at Raytheon

Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems is working to head off a proposed U.S. Navy budget proposal that would halt purchases of the Tomahawk cruise missile — the nation’s primary long-range strike missile — after 2015.

Facing steep defense budget cuts, the Navy said its inventory of some 4,000 Tomahawks is sufficient until it develops a next-generation land-attack missile.

But Raytheon — which makes Tomahawks in Tucson — is lobbying the Navy and members of Congress to modify the plan, contending that any procurement hiatus would shut down production lines that could not be easily restarted.

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