Boeing AGM - 84 Harpoon The Boeing AGM - 84 Harpoon is an all weather missile originally developed by McDonnell Douglas of United States , The production and development is now under the tutelage of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems . Description . The Harpoon missile provides the Navy and the Air Force with a common missile for air , ship , and submarine launches . The weapon system uses mid - course guidance with a radar seeker to attack surface ships . Its low - level , sea - skimming cruise trajectory , active radar guidance and warhead design assure high survivability and effectiveness . The Harpoon missile and its launch control equipment provide the warfighter capability to interdict ships at ranges well beyond those of other aircraft . One success story from Operation Allied Force was the development of techniques for employing Standoff Land Attack Missile ( SLAM ) from Navy aircraft . SLAM provided the Joint Task Force and the Joint Force Air Component Commander with new flexibility to strike mobile targets on short notice . The Harpoon missile was designed to sink warships in an open - ocean environment . Other weapons ( such as the Standard and Tomahawk missiles ) can be used against ships , but Harpoon and Penguin are the only missiles used by the United States military with anti - ship warfare as the primary mission . Once targeting information is obtained and sent to the Harpoon missile , it is fired . Once fired , the missile flys to the target location , turns on its seeker , locates the target and strikes it without further action from the firing platform . This allows the firing platform to engage other threats instead of concentrating on one at a time . An appropriately configured HARPOON can be launched from an AERO - 65 bomb rack , AERO - 7 / A bomb rack , MK 6 canister , MK 7 shock resistant canister , MK 12 thickwall canister , MK 112 ASROC launcher , MK 8 and MK 116 TARTAR launcher , or submarine torpedo tube launcher . Submarines fire a capsule containing the Harpoon from their torpedo tubes . When the capsule breaches the surface , the top is blown off and the missile is launched . Aircraft launched Harpoons do not require a Booster . Depending upon launch conditions , the Harpoon engine generally will not start until after the missile is dropped from the wing . This allows firing from higher altitudes and longer range flights . The " Guidance Section " consists of an active radar seeker and radome , Missile Guidance Unit ( MGU ) , radar altimeter and antennas , and power converter . The MGU consists of a three - axis attitude reference assembly ( ARA ) and a digital computer / power supply ( DC / PS ) . Prior to launch , the DC / PS is initialized with data by the Command Launch System . After launch , the DC / PS uses the missile acceleration data from the ARA and altitude data from the radar altimeter to maintain the missile on the programmed flight profile . After seeker target acquisition , the DC / PS uses seeker data to guide the missile to the target . The " Warhead Section " consists of a target - penetrating , load - carrying steel structure containing 215 pounds of high explosive ( DESTEX ) and a safe - and - arm / contact fuze assembly . The safe - and - arm / contact fuze assembly ensures the warhead will not explode until after the missile is launched . It is designed to explode the warhead after impacting the target . The warhead section can be replaced by an exercise section which transmits missile performance data for collection and analysis . The " Sustainer Section " consists of a fuel tank with JP - 10 fuel , air inlet duct , and a jet engine . This provides the thrust to power the missile during sustained flight . The Sustainer Section has four fixed fins which provide lift . The " Control Section " consists of four electromechanical actuators which use signals from the Guidance Section to turn four fins which control missile motion . The " Booster Section " consists of a solid fuel rocket and arming and firing device . Surface and submarine platforms use a booster to launch Harpoon and propel it to a speed at which sustained flight can be achieved . The Booster Section separates from the missile before sustained flight begins . The submarine Harpoon is contained within a capsule and is called ENCAP for encapsulated . The ENCAP is the same size and general shape of a blunt nosed torpedo and is launched from submarine torpedo tubes . It has positive buoyancy ( it floats ) , so when it is ejected from the submarine , it will rise to the surface , without power . The ENCAP consists of a nosecap , main body and afterbody . The missile is on shock isolator rails within the main body . The afterbody has fins which direct the ENCAP towards the surface at the proper angle for missile launch . Once the ENCAP breaches the surface , the nosecap is blown off by a small rocket and the missile is launched . The Harpoon missile was developed in the early 1970s . Numerous upgrades have kept it at the forefront of missile capabilities , including the Block 1 introduced in 1978 , and the Block 1B introduced in 1981 . Today , the latest variant developed in 1982 called Block 1C is deployed by the United States military ( Navy and Air Force ) as well as US allies . New developments are constantly being evaluated . Although originally planned to be in use until 2015 , there is no plan to develop a replacement by the USN . There are continuing , extensive efforts ( testing and analysis ) to ensure no detrimental effects of missile aging . With budget constraints projected into the future , Harpoon will be employed past 2015 . Variants . Harpoon Block 2 . In 1996 McDonnell Douglas offered some improvements to the design of Harpoon . First , the program " Harpoon 2000 " named later " Harpoon Block 2 " . The proposed improvements included a paired GPS / INS System , a radar detector with extended ECCM Capabilities and the installation of various SLAM components . The missile was internally RGM - 84J undertaken but had little interest in the U . S . Navy and the project was initially frozen . It was decided at McDonnell Douglas , however , develop means for the export market . This version was designated RGM - 84L . Countries interested in this version include Egypt , United Arab Emirates and Taiwan . South Korea has already bought the air - launched version ( AGM - 84L ) . Overall , more than 320 missiles were delivered at a price of around 200 , 000 U . S . $ . In September 2008 , requested India the supply of 20 AGM - 84L . Since July 2009 , all Block II Harpoon ' s are shipped with an improved steering system , including the improves the immunity of the GPS receiver . Based on the Boeing Harpoon Block 2 has now also a version for land - based coastal defense developed . This is mounted on trucks and offers a high mobility . Harpoon Block 3 . In the spring of 2007 the U . S . Navy announced that it was interested in a further development of the AGM - 84D . Therefore , Boeing has been commissioned to develop the Harpoon Block 3 . In addition to the properties of the Harpoon Block 2 , the rocket with a new data link ( presumably Link 16 ) Which makes it possible to change the target data during the flight . Furthermore , should not be performed unnamed modifications that will improve performance in coastal waters . Through further adjustments in future it should also be possible from the Harpoon VLS Systems to start . All new systems are designed so that it can be installed as an upgrade to existing Harpoon missiles , which is from the U . S . Navy also planned accordingly . The provisional combat readiness ( IOC ) Is the beginning of 2011 can be achieved .