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War Starts - Cruise Missile AttackThu, March 20, 2003Source: Ananova NewsThe Pentagon has released video footage of cruise missiles being launched on Baghdad.More than 40 of the Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched at SaddamThe Pentagon has released video footage of cruise missiles being launched on Baghdad.More than 40 of the Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched at Saddam and his leadership from US warships in the Gulf and Red Sea. Within minutes the Pentagon had released video of the missiles roaring from the deck of the guided missile destroyer Donald Cook. The video of the launch of the satellite-guided missiles with a 1,000-mile range were emailed to the Pentagon from the warship. Other missiles were fired from a US nuclear submarine. Introduced during the war with Iraq 12 years ago, the Tomahawk is still a technological wonder, able to fly at just under the speed of sound, hugging the ground to deliver a 1,000 pound warhead onto a pre-programmed target. The Navy probably has about 1,000 Tomahawks, which cost about £383,000 each. Radar detection of the missile is extremely difficult because of the small radar cross-section and low-altitude flight profile. A next-generation Tomahawk adds the capability to reprogram the missile while in-flight to strike any of 15 pre-programmed alternate targets.
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