Harpoon ( missile ) The Harpoon is an all - weather , over - the - horizon , anti - ship missile system , developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas ( now Boeing Defense , Space & Security ) . In 2004 , Boeing delivered the 7 , 000th Harpoon unit since the weapon ' s introduction in 1977 . The missile system has also been further developed into a land - strike weapon , the Standoff Land Attack Missile ( SLAM ) . The regular Harpoon uses active radar homing , and a low - level , sea - skimming cruise trajectory to improve survivability and lethality . The missile ' s launch platforms include : Development . In 1965 the U . S . Navy began studies for a missile in the 45 km ( 25 nm ) range class for use against surfaced submarines . The name Harpoon was assigned to the project ( i . e . a harpoon to kill " whales " , a naval slang term for submarines ) . The Harpoon was introduced in 1977 after the sinking of the Israeli destroyer " Eilat " in 1967 by a Soviet - built Styx anti - ship missile from an Egyptian missile boat . Initially developed as an air - launched missile for the United States Navy P - 3 Orion patrol aircraft , the Harpoon has been adapted for use on U . S . Air Force B - 52H bomber s , which can carry up to 12 of the missiles . The Harpoon missile has been purchased by many American allies , especially by the NATO countries , as well as Australia , Japan , Pakistan and South Korea , among others . The Harpoon has also been adapted for carriage on the F - 16 Fighting Falcon , in operation with the U . S . Air Force , Singapore , South Korea , Taiwan , and the United Arab Emirates . It has been carried by several U . S . Navy aircraft , including the P - 3 Orion patrol plane , the A - 6 Intruder , the S - 3 Viking , the AV - 8B Harrier II , and the F / A - 18 Hornet . The Royal Australian Air Force is capable of firing AGM - 84 series missiles from its F / A - 18F Super Hornets , F / A - 18A / B Hornets , and AP - 3C Orion aircraft , and previously from the now retired F - 111C / G Aardvark s . The Royal Australian Navy deploys the Harpoon on major surface combatants and in the " Collins " - class submarines . The Spanish Air Force and the Chilean Navy are also AGM - 84D customers , and they deploy the missiles on surface ships , and F / A - 18s , F - 16s , and P - 3 Orion aircraft . The British Royal Navy deploys the Harpoon on several types of surface ship . The Royal Canadian Navy carries Harpoon missiles on its " Halifax " - class frigate s . The Royal New Zealand Air Force is looking at adding the capability of carrying a stand - off missile , probably Harpoon or AGM - 65 Maverick , on its six P - 3 Orion patrol planes once they have all been upgraded to P3K2 standard . The Republic of Singapore Air Force also operates five modified Fokker 50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft ( MPA ) which are fitted with the sensors needed to fire the Harpoon missile . The Pakistani Navy carries the Harpoon missile on its naval frigates and P - 3C Orions . The Turkish Navy carries Harpoons on surface warships and Type 209 submarine s . The Turkish Air Force will be armed with the SLAM - ER . At least 339 Harpoon missiles were sold to the Republic of China Air Force ( Taiwan ) for its F - 16 A / B Block 20 fleet and the Taiwanese Navy , which operates four guided - missile destroyers and sixteen guided - missile frigates with the capability of carrying the Harpoon , include the eight former U . S . Navy s and the eight locally built derivative of the s . The four former USN s which have been sold to Taiwan can also carry Harpoon missiles , as can the 2 Zwaardvis / Hai Lung submarines and 12 P - 3C Orion aircraft . The Block 1 missiles were designated AGM / RGM / UGM - 84A in US service and UGM - 84B in the UK . Block 1B standard missiles were designated AGM / RGM / UGM - 84C , Block 1C missiles were designated AGM / RGM / UGM - 84D . Block 1 used a terminal attack mode that included a pop - up to approximately 1800m before diving on the target ; Block 1B omitted the terminal pop - up ; and Block 1C provided a selectable terminal attack mode . Harpoon Block 1D . This version featured a larger fuel tank and re - attack capability , but was not produced in large numbers because its intended mission ( warfare with the Warsaw Pact countries of Eastern Europe ) was considered to be unlikely following the events of 1991 - 92 . Range is 278 km . Block 1D missiles were designated RGM / AGM - 84F . In Block 1D SLAM ATA ( Block 1G ) . This version , under development , gives the SLAM a re - attack capability , as well as an image comparison capability similar to the Tomahawk cruise missile ; that is , the weapon can compare the target scene in front of it with an image stored in its on - board computer during terminal phase target acquisition and lock on . Block 1G missiles AGM / RGM / UGM - 84G , and the SLAM - ER missiles are designated AGM - 84H . Harpoon Block 1J . Block 1J was a proposal for a further upgrade , AGM / RGM / UGM - 84J Harpoon ( or Harpoon 2000 ) , for use against both ship and land targets . Harpoon Block II . In production at Boeing facilities in Saint Charles , Missouri , is the Harpoon Block II , intended to offer an expanded engagement envelope , enhanced resistance to electronic countermeasures and improved targeting . Specifically , the Harpoon was initially designed as an open - ocean weapon . The Block II missiles continue progress begun with Block IE , and the Block II missile provides the Harpoon with a littoral - water anti - ship capability . The key improvements of the Harpoon Block II are obtained by incorporating the inertial measurement unit from the Joint Direct Attack Munition program , and the software , computer , Global Positioning System ( GPS ) / inertial navigation system and GPS antenna / receiver from the SLAM Expanded Response ( SLAM - ER ) , an upgrade to the SLAM . The US Navy awarded a $ 120 million contract to Boeing in July 2011 for the production of about 60 Block II Harpoon missiles , including missiles for 6 foreign militaries . Boeing lists 30 foreign navies as Block II customers . India acquired 24 Harpoon Block II missiles to arm its maritime strike Jaguar fighters in a deal worth $ 170 million through the Foreign Military Sales system . In December 2010 , the Defense Security Cooperation Agency ( DSCA ) notified U . S . Congress of a possible sale of 21 additional AGM - 84L HARPOON Block II Missiles and associated equipment , parts and logistical support for a complete package worth approximately $ 200 million ; the Indian government intends to use these missiles on its Indian Navy P - 8I Neptune maritime patrol aircraft . Indian Navy is also planning to upgrade the fleet of four submarines - Shishumar class submarine - with tube - launched Harpoon missiles . Harpoon Block 2 missiles are designated AGM / RGM / UGM - 84L . Harpoon Block III . Harpoon Block III was intended to be an upgrade package to the existing USN Block 1C missiles and Command Launch Systems ( CLS ) for guided - missile cruisers , guided - missile destroyers , and the F / A - 18E / F Super Hornet fighter aircraft . After experiencing an increase in the scope of required government ship integration , test and evaluation , and a delay in development of a data - link , the Harpoon Block III program was canceled by the U . S . Navy in April 2009 . Cancellation of Block III however does not preclude the possibility of continued incremental upgrades to the Harpoon missile and launching suite in the future . Operational history . In 1981 and 1982 there were two accidental launches of Harpoon missiles . One from USN and one from a Danish Navy frigate ( " Peder Skram " - class ) on 6 September 1982 which ended in the recreational housing area Lumsås . The Danish missile was later known as the " hovsa - missile " ( " hovsa " being the Danish term for " oops " ) . In November 1980 during Operation Morvarid Iranian missile boats attacked and sank two Iraqi Osa - class missile boats ; one of the weapons used was the Harpoon missile . In 1986 , the United States Navy sank at least two Libyan patrol boats in the Gulf of Sidra . Two Harpoon missiles were launched from the with no confirmed results and several others from A - 6 Intruder aircraft that were said to have hit their targets . Initial reports claimed that the " USS Yorktown " scored hits on a patrol boat , but action reports indicated that the target may have been a false one and that no ships were hit by those missiles . In 1988 , Harpoon missiles were used to sink the Iranian frigate " Sahand " during Operation Praying Mantis . Another was fired at the Kaman - class missile boat " Joshan " , but failed to strike because the fast attack craft had already been mostly sunk by RIM - 66 Standard missiles . An Iranian - owned Harpoon missile was also fired at the guided missile cruiser . The missile was successfully lured away by chaff . In December 1988 , a Harpoon launched by an F / A - 18 Hornet fighter from the aircraft carrier killed one sailor when it struck the merchant ship " Jagvivek " , a long Indian - owned ship , during an exercise at the Pacific Missile Range near Kauai , Hawaii . A Notice to Mariners had been issued warning of the danger , but the " Jagvivek " left port before receiving the communication and subsequently strayed into the test range area , and the Harpoon missile , fortunately loaded just with an inert dummy warhead , locked onto it instead of its intended target . In June 2009 , it was reported by an American newspaper , citing unnamed officials from the Obama administration and the U . S . Congress , that the American government had accused Pakistan of illegally modifying some older Harpoon missiles to strike land targets . Pakistani officials denied this and they claimed that the US was referring to a new Pakistani - designed missile . Some international experts were also reported to be skeptical of the accusations . Robert Hewson , editor of Jane ' s Air Launched Weapons , pointed out that the Harpoon is not suitable for the land - attack role due to deficiency in range . He also stated that Pakistan was already armed with more sophisticated missiles of Pakistani or Chinese design and , therefore , " beyond the need to reverse - engineer old US kit . " Hewson offered that the missile tested by Pakistan was part of an undertaking to develop conventionally armed missiles , capable of being air - or surface - launched , to counter its rival India ' s missile arsenal . It was later stated that Pakistan and the US administration had reached some sort of agreement allowing US officials to inspect Pakistan ' s inventory of Harpoon missiles , and the issue had been resolved .