Harpoon (missile)

The Harpoon is a special kind of missile designed to attack ships from far away. It can fly through all kinds of weather and can be launched from many different places. It was made by a company called McDonnell Douglas, which is now part of Boeing Defense, Space & Security.

There are different versions of the Harpoon. Some are used to attack ships, while others can hit targets on land from a distance. The missile uses a special way to find its target by listening to the ship's radar signals. It flies very close to the water to avoid being shot down.

The Harpoon can be launched from many places, including airplanes, big ships, submarines, and even from land near the coast. Each type of launch needs a little help from a rocket to get the missile going, but once it’s moving, it uses its own engine to keep flying toward its target.

Development

In 1965, the United States Navy started studying a missile that could travel about 24 nautical miles to attack submarines that were on the surface. The project was named Harpoon. A surprise attack in 1967 by a missile on an Israeli ship showed how dangerous these weapons could be, so the U.S. Navy sped up its work on the Harpoon.

The first Harpoon missile was delivered in 1977, and by 2004, over 7,000 had been made. The Harpoon has been used on many different airplanes and ships around the world. Countries like India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and many NATO nations have used this missile.

Different versions of the Harpoon have been created over the years to improve its abilities. Some versions can attack both ships and land targets, while others can avoid enemy defenses better. The Harpoon continues to be an important weapon for navies today.

The Harpoon Block II, made at Boeing facilities in Saint Charles, Missouri, improves the missile’s ability to work in closer waters near shorelines. It uses better navigation systems and computer software to find targets more accurately.

In 2011, the U.S. Navy ordered about 60 of these Block II missiles for use by the U.S. and several other countries. India bought 24 Block II missiles for its Jaguar fighters in a deal worth $170 million. The Indian Navy also plans to upgrade some of its submarines to use Harpoon missiles.

In April 2020, the U.S. approved the sale of 10 more Harpoon missiles to India for its P-8I airplanes. In 2023, India agreed to buy additional equipment for its Harpoon missiles worth $80 million.

The U.S. also approved the sale of Harpoon Block II missiles to the Mexican Navy for use on its new frigates.

Operational history

In 1981 and 1982, there were two accidental launches of Harpoon missiles: one by the United States Navy which caused no damage and the other by the Danish Navy, which damaged buildings in a recreational area. The Danish missile was later nicknamed the hovsa-missile.

In November 1980, during Operation Morvarid, Iranian boats attacked and sank two Iraqi boats; one of the weapons used was the Harpoon missile.

In 1986, the United States Navy sank at least two Libyan boats in the Gulf of Sidra. Two Harpoon missiles were launched from the cruiser USS Yorktown with no confirmed results and several others from A-6 Intruder aircraft that were said to have hit their targets.

In 1988, Harpoon missiles were used by the U.S. to disable an Iranian ship during Operation Praying Mantis.

In December 1988, a Harpoon launched by an F/A-18 Hornet fighter from the aircraft carrier USS Constellation struck a merchant ship during an exercise. The ship had entered the test range area without warning.

The undersea-launched Harpoon version was retired from U.S. Navy service in 1997.

In June 2009, reports claimed that Pakistan had modified some older Harpoon missiles, but Pakistani officials denied this.

The Harpoon missile has become popular with several countries. In 2020 its manufacturer Boeing won contracts to supply Harpoon missiles to Saudi Arabia and other nations.

In late May 2022, Denmark sent Harpoon launchers and missiles to Ukraine. The Netherlands, the U.S., and the U.K. also planned to supply them. Ukraine claimed its navy disabled a Russian tugboat with two Harpoon missiles.

In May 2025, the United States Special Operations Command announced that the Air Force Special Operations Command has been testing to deploy the Harpoon from the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship since 2024.

Operators

Australia uses the Harpoon missile with both its navy and air force. Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the United States also operate the Harpoon missile with their naval or air forces. Some countries have retired the Harpoon, while others continue to use it today.