British Launch Tomahawk Missiles As Part Of Strikes On Afghanistan

WASHINGTON--Britain's Royal Navy launched Raytheon (RTN) Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) on Sunday as part of the U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan from at least one of its Trafalgar-class nuclear attack submarines, the second time a British submarine has launched Tomahawks in anger since receiving the capability almost three years ago.

Two Tomahawk-capable submarines, the HMS Trafalgar and HMS Triumph, are taking part in Operation Veritas, as the strikes against the Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorist network in Afghanistan are known in the British armed forces. However, Britain's Ministry of Defence has not said which submarine, or whether both, fired Tomahawk missiles.

The Ministry of Defence has also not said how many Tomahawk missiles were fired by British submarines. During a press conference in London on Monday, Adm. Michael Boyce, the chief of Britain's defense staff, said that the Royal Navy-launched TLAMs struck a Taliban terrorist site. The first night of strikes involved a total of 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles and 25 strike aircraft.

Additionally, the Swiftsure-class nuclear attack submarine HMS Superb, which does not have Tomahawk cruise missiles, is taking part in the operation. It was in...