session, we will learn about Harpoon, the best anti-ship missile ever. If you are curious on the
details of this missile and the distinction it has, stayed tunned only at this channel!
The Harpoon is a U.S subsonic anti-ship cruise missile which was originally developed by
McDonnell Douglas for the United States Navy in the 1970s. Numerous variants have been
manufactured since its inception, including air-, ship-, and sub-launched versions. The
Harpoon has also undergone multiple upgrades to improve its range and guidance. With the unit
of cost reach up to $1,406,812, the variants of the Harpoon have been exported to many countries.
Interestingly, the Harpoon has been described as the world’s most successful anti-ship missile,
and it is currently in service with the armed forces of more than thirty nations. For the
information, this missile has been regularly upgraded over the years, and this has led to the
development of the standoff land attack missile (SLAM) and the SLAM expanded response (SLAM-ER).
Anyway, to get a further detail, let’s take a look at some of its general specification.
The Harpoon missile has been adapted for use on Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bombers,
which can carry eight to twelve of the missiles. First deployed in 1977 as an all-weather,
over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system, the Harpoon utilizes a low-level,
sea-skimming cruise trajectory with active radar guidance. It is capable of executing
both land-strike and anti-ship missiles. Moreover, with a total mass of 691 kg including booster,
and the length of 3.8 m, this missile was used during the Iran and Iraq wars.
Furthermore, with a diameter of 34 cm, it operates Teledyne CAE J402 turbojet or solid
propellant booster for surface and submarine launch which is greater than 600 lbf of thrust.
It has maximum speed of 864 km/h or equals to Mach 0.71. Additionally, this missile has been
developed with various versions including Harpoon Block 1D, SLAM ATA (Block 1G),
Harpoon Block 1J, Harpoon Block II, Harpoon Block II+, Harpoon Block III, Harpoon Block II+ ER.
In addition, the regular Harpoon uses active radar homing
and flies just above the water to evade defences. The missile can be launched from:
• Fixed-wing aircraft (the AGM-84,
without the solid-fuel rocket booster) • Surface ships (the RGM-84,
fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster that detaches when expended, to allow
the missile's main turbojet to maintain flight) • Submarines (the UGM-84, fitted with a solid-fuel
rocket booster and encapsulated in a container to enable submerged launch through a torpedo tube);
• Coastal defense batteries, from which it would be fired with a solid-fuel rocket booster.
What seems to be distinctives of this missile is its capacity to strike from any direction.
Harpoon missiles are capable of being launched from surface ships,
submarines, shore batteries and from naval aircraft such as the F/A-18A-F
and Lockheed P-3C Orion anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft. Ship-, submarine-
and shore-launched Harpoons require a booster for launch. However, air-launched Harpoons are fired
without the need of a booster and generally start the engine after aircraft separation.
In the following scene, we can see some of its operational history including: first, the SS
Coronado launches the first over-the-horizon missile engagement using a Harpoon Block
1C missile during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2016 in the Pacific Ocean, 21 July 2016.
Second, a Harpoon missile is launched from the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS
Shiloh during a live-fire exercise in 2014. Third, a harpoon training
missile is loaded onto the USS Asheville during a certification exercise in 2020.
Also, Harpoon Block II test firing from USS Thorn, and of course many more to mention.
For the recent update, it was announced in February that Boeing began work to return the
Harpoon to operational status in the U.S. Navy’s submarine force after a more than 20-year absence.
The Navy's submarines awarded Boeing a $10.9 million contract to refurbish 16 Harpoon
missile capsules and four all-up rounds of encapsulated Block 1C Harpoon missiles.
The project is expected to be completed in December 2022. The UGM-84A Harpoon Block 1C
missiles will be installed on US Navy submarines of the Los Angeles class. According to Boeing,
Harpoon missiles are currently integrated into more than 600 ships, 180 submarines,
twelve distinct types of aircraft, and many land-based launch vehicles around the world.
As a result, the Cold War platform is prepared to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
That’s all about Harpoon Missile, in case you have any suggestion for the next topic,
feel free to drop any comment below! Thanks for watching and see you next time.