RGM-84 Harpoon

## A/R/UGM-84 Harpoon ASM/SSM

### Users

Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, Ukraine, USA (current), Indonesia (former)

### Designer

McDonnell Douglas

The **Harpoon** is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security). The AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) and later AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response) are cruise missile variants.

The regular Harpoon uses active radar homing and flies just above the water to evade defenses. The missile can be launched from:

* Fixed-wing aircraft **(AGM-84)**, without the solid-fuel rocket booster)
* Surface ships **(RGM-84)**, fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster that detaches when expended, to allow the missile's main turbojet to maintain flight)
* Submarines **(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 **(RGM-84)**, from which it would be fired with a solid-fuel rocket booster.

### Development

In 1965, the United States Navy began studies for a missile in the 45 kilometres (24 nmi) range class for use against surfaced submarines. The name Harpoon was assigned to the project. The sinking of the Israeli destroyer *Eilat* in 1967 by a Soviet-built Styx anti-ship missile shocked senior United States Navy officers, who until then had not been appreciative of the threat posed by anti-ship missiles. In 1970 Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Elmo Zumwalt accelerated the development of Harpoon as part of his "Project Sixty" initiative, hoping to add much-needed striking power to U.S. surface warships such as the *Ticonderoga*-class cruiser.

The first Harpoon was delivered in 1977; in 2004, Boeing delivered the 7,000th.

The Harpoon has also been adapted for carriage on several aircraft, including the P-3 Orion, the P-8 Poseidon, the AV-8B Harrier II, the F/A-18 Hornet and the U.S. Air Force B-52H bombers. The Harpoon was purchased by many nations, including India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and most NATO countries.

The Royal Australian Air Force can fire AGM-84-series missiles from its F/A-18F Super Hornets. AP-3C Orion, and P-8 Poseidon aircraft, and previously from the now retired F-111C/Gs and F/A-18A/B Hornets. 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 formerly deployed the Harpoon on several types of surface ships.

The Royal Canadian Navy carries Harpoon Block II missiles on its *Halifax*-class frigates. 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 frigates and P-3C Orions. The Turkish Navy carries Harpoons on surface warships and Type 209 submarines. The Turkish Air Force will be armed with the SLAM-ER. Turkey is planning to replace the Harpoons with Turkish made Atmaca missiles.

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 Republic of China Navy, which operates four guided-missile destroyers and eight guided-missile frigates with the capability of carrying the Harpoon, including the eight former U.S. Navy ''Knox''-class frigates and the four former USN ''Kidd''-class destroyers which have been sold to Taiwan. The two *Zwaardvis*/*Hai Lung* submarines and 12 P-3C Orion aircraft can also use the missile. The eight *Cheng Kung*-class frigates, despite being based on the US *Oliver Hazard Perry* class, have Harpoon capabilities deleted from their combat systems, and funding to restore it has so far been denied, the Republic of China Navy (Taiwan) decided to switch to the Hsiung Feng II and Hsiung Feng III.

The Block 1 missiles were designated A/R/UGM-84A in US service and UGM-84B in the UK. Block 1B standard missiles were designated A/R/UGM-84C, Block 1C missiles were designated A/R/UGM-84D. Block 1C used a terminal attack mode that included a pop-up to approximately 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) before diving on the target; Block 1B omitted the terminal pop-up; and Block 1C provided a selectable terminal attack mode.