AGM-84 Harpoon

An RGM-84 Harpoon in the USS Bowfin Museum in Pearl Harbor

The A / R / UGM-84 Harpoon is an anti-ship missile that has been produced in various versions by the American manufacturer Boeing since 1976 .

development

The United States Navy began a study on an anti-ship missile as early as 1965, which should have a range of around 45 kilometers (km). However, the development of the Harpoon only began after 1968 with the designation ZAGM-84A, when the experience of the Israeli army with the SS-N-2 Styx in the Six Day War was evaluated. In 1971, McDonnell Douglas was chosen as the main contractor. The first trials took place in 1972 and pre-series production began in 1976. In February 2008, the US Navy had almost 850 Harpoon guided missiles, the majority of which were based on the airborne variant. A total of over 7000 guided missiles were produced.

technology

The British HMS Richmond (F-239) taking off an RGM-84 Harpoon (2002)

The Harpoon is powered by a Teledyne turbojet (model: J402-CA-400) with a thrust of 3.0 kN and is started with air support (AGM) as standard. In addition to versions E, F, H and K, all versions can also be fired with surface or submarine support (RGM / UGM). A booster (model: A / B44G-2 or -3) is required for this, which provides an additional thrust of 53 kN for 2.9 seconds. All versions (except H and K) have a WDU-18 / B warhead with 221 kilograms of high explosive. The navigation takes place with an inertial navigation system , which is supported by GPS in version H and K.

The different flight phases in the first series version (A / B) are as follows: The rocket receives the target data from the on-board system of the respective platform and is then either notched (air-supported / AGM) or fired from the launch tube using a booster (surface / U -Boot-based RGM / UGM). During the approach phase, the Harpoon flies about 15 meters above the water and navigates with the help of its inertial navigation system . Once the missile is in a predetermined distance to the suspected target, it turns her on-board J-band - radar one to the goal to find. When the target is captured, the guided missile approaches at an altitude of 2 to 5 meters and rises 2000 meters away from the target to 1800 meters height ("pop-up" maneuver), and then falls from above onto the target. However, it can also approach the target flat. The warhead does not ignite directly on impact, but with a time delay, so that the explosion takes place inside the ship and causes considerably more damage than a contact-igniting weapon. The flight phases and the warhead were changed again and again with the development of new variants.

variants

Harpoon Block 1

• RGM-84A , Block 1A: First production version.
• RGM-84B : Modified version for the Royal Navy .
• RGM-84C , Block 1B: The “pop-up” maneuver has been removed from the software, the rocket flies to its target over the entire distance just above the water surface (“sea-skimming”).
• RGM-84D , Block 1C: By using the new JP-10 fuel, the range was increased to approx. 220 km. In addition to improved ECCM equipment, the flight path (“pop-up” or “sea-skimming”) can now be set before take-off. Furthermore, waypoints can now be set (requires AN / SWG-1A fire control system). The unit price is around $ 720,000.

An AGM-84E SLAM

• AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) , Block 1E: This version is actually a completely new development. Instead of being used against sea targets, this missile is designed to attack land targets. For this purpose, the imaging infrared seeker head of the AGM-65D Maverick and the data link of the AGM-62 Walleye were built into the housing of the Harpoon. With the exception of the replaced radar seeker, almost all components are identical to the sea target variant. The final phase steering requires manual approach to the goal. To do this, the pilot places the crosshairs of the viewfinder on his display to assign the weapon its point of impact. This is realized with a 2-way data link and the FLIR sensor. Due to this final phase control, the SLAM can only be used from airplanes. SLAM was replaced in 2000 by SLAM-ER.
• RGM-84F , Block 1D: By extending the fuel tank, the range could be further increased. Due to the greater length, a submarine-supported version (UGM) was not possible. The planned procurement was canceled before production started due to the break-up of the Soviet Union .
• RGM-84G , Block 1G: This version has been manufactured since 1995 and is a Block 1C with new software. It also has revised control logic that allows it to retry a failed attack as long as there is enough fuel and the seeker has detected the error. The 1G variant is produced by modernizing missiles of the 1C version.

An AGM-84H SLAM-ER

• AGM-84H Stand-off Land Attack Missile - Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) : This variant was based on the AGM-84E (SLAM). Noticeable are the wings that fold out (similar to the BGM-109 Tomahawk ), which have significantly increased the range. In addition to an INS module, the new AN / DSQ-61 navigation system also includes an interference-free GPS receiver. The interference immunity of the data link has also been improved. An imaging infrared seeker head is integrated for target acquisition in the final phase, which should be resistant to laser-based countermeasures. At 360 kg, the warhead (WDU-40 / B) has a higher penetration power than the WDU-18 / B warhead (221 kg) used until then. The warhead has also been reinforced with titanium to increase its efficiency against hardened targets (e.g. bunkers ). Tests have shown that the SLAM-ER can also fight sea targets.
• AGM-84J : The J model has an INS / GPS and improved ECCM features as a special feature.
• AGM-84K : This version includes various internal hardware and software improvements for the AGM-84H. All currently existing H variants will be modernized to the K version.
• AGM-84H / K SLAM-ER ATA : The last current update is the ATA version for the H / K models. The ATA (Automatic Target Acquisition) update enables the weapon to autonomously recognize its target by comparing the IR images with an internal database and to fly to it. The rocket only needs a target sector, which it then compares with the saved target image. The upgrade was released for the fleet in 2002, the current H / K models may need to be updated. Users of the SLAM-ER ATA are: Saudi Arabia (650), South Korea (47), Turkey (48), United Arab Emirates (300), United States (735).
• AGM-84L : The L version has a GPS supported INS and improved hardware.
• AGM-84N : The N version has a 2-way data link and the option of canceling an attack.

Harpoon Block II

In 1996, McDonnell Douglas offered some enhancements to the Harpoon design. Initially the program was called Harpoon 2000 , later Harpoon Block 2 . The proposed improvements included a coupled GPS / INS system, a radar seeker with enhanced ECCM capabilities, and the installation of various SLAM components. The missile was known internally as the RGM-84J, but the United States Navy showed little interest and the project was frozen for the time being. It was decided at McDonnell Douglas, however, to advance the further development for the export market. This version was named RGM-84L. Interested parties in this version include Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. South Korea has already bought the airborne version (AGM-84L). In total, over 320 guided missiles were shipped at a unit price of around US $ 200,000. In September 2008 India applied for the delivery of 20 AGM-84L. Since July 2009 all Block-2-Harpoons have been delivered with an improved steering system, which among other things improves the interference immunity of the GPS receiver.

In January 2016 it was announced that the United States Navy or the Naval Air Systems Command had succeeded in launching a Block 2 Harpoon from a Boeing F / A-18 and using a “network-enabled data link “-Exchange automatically to a moving sea target. While the missile is in the air, the target data is continuously updated. With the ability to deploy the missile from aircraft, its range is increased significantly. From 2017 the missile will be scaffolded in the United States Navy.

On the basis of the Harpoon Block 2, Boeing has now also developed a variant for land-based coastal defense. This is mounted on trucks and therefore offers high mobility.

Harpoon Block III

In spring 2007 the US Navy announced that it was interested in further developing the AGM-84D. Therefore Boeing was commissioned to develop the Harpoon Block 3. In addition to the properties of the Harpoon Block 2, the rocket should be provided with a new data link ( Link 16 ), which would have made it possible to change the target data during the flight. Furthermore, unspecified modifications should be carried out, which should improve the performance in coastal waters. Further adjustments should also make it possible in future to start the Harpoon from VLS systems. All new systems should be designed so that they could have been installed as an upgrade in existing Harpoon guided missiles. The program was canceled in April 2009.

Combat missions

The Iranian frigate Sahand after the attack

Mediterranean / Libya The first use of the Harpoon took place on the night of March 24th to March 25th 1986 off the Libyan coast. A-6E Intruders of the US Navy Sixth Fleet attacked and sank three Libyan patrol boats carrying harpoons.

Persian Gulf / Iran On April 18, 1988, the Iranian frigate Sahand was also sunk by A-6E Intruder of the US Navy with the help of two Harpoons and laser-guided bombs. The attack took place as part of Operation Praying Mantis . During the same operation, missiles were shot down on the Iranian patrol boat Joshan Harpoon. However, these did not hit their target, as it had already been almost completely sunk by RIM-66 standard missiles.

Persian Gulf / Iraq The SLAM variant was used against Iraqi targets during the Second Gulf War . A total of seven rockets were fired, whereby these were still pre-production models. The SLAM-ER was used for the first time during Operation Southern Watch .

Incidents

To date, there have been three major incidents with the Harpoon. The first occurred on July 14, 1981 on board the American destroyer USS Coontz off the island of Saint Croix . A harpoon was accidentally fired, but the missile detonated in the sea without consequences. The second incident occurred on September 6, 1982 on board the Danish frigate Peder Skram during a maneuvering exercise in the Kattegat . Here, too, the rocket was accidentally fired and detonated a little later in a forest, destroying four buildings and damaging 130. People were not harmed. The third and most momentous incident occurred in December 1988 during a US Navy maneuvering exercise near the Kauai Test Facility . An F / A-18 Hornet fired a Harpoon at a test target, which, however, approached and hit the Jagivek , an Indian freighter 76 meters in length. A seaman was killed when the missile, which had no warhead, struck. The sea area had been publicly known as a missile test area.

Platforms

An F-16 carries an AGM-84 Harpoon

Harpoon starter

Land-based harpoon launcher of the Royal Danish Navy

Airborne Platforms (AGM):

• Boeing F-15E "Strike Eagle"
• General Dynamics F-16A / B / C / D "Fighting Falcon"
• Kawasaki XP-1
• Boeing F / A-18 C / D "Hornet"
• Boeing F / A-18 E / F "Super Hornet"
• Lockheed S-3 "Viking"
• Grumman A-6E "Intruder"
• Lockheed P-3A / C "Orion"
• Boeing P-8 "Poseidon"
• Boeing B-52H "Stratofortress"
• British Aerospace Nimrod MR.2

Sea-based (RGM):
The Harpoon can be used by almost all modern warships . A starter of the type Mk 112, Mk 140/141 or Mk 13 is required.

Submarine-based (UGM):

• Los Angeles class
• Seawolf class
• Swiftsure class
• Virginia class
• Collins class

Land-based:

• Quadruple starter on Scania 113M / 320 of the Royal Danish Navy (until 2003)

Users

• North America: United States , Canada
• Europe: Denmark , Germany , Greece , Netherlands , United Kingdom , Italy , Spain , Portugal , Turkey
• Middle East: Israel , Egypt , Saudi Arabia , Kuwait , Bahrain , United Arab Emirates , Oman
• Middle East: India , Pakistan
• East Asia: Japan , South Korea , Republic of China (Taiwan) , Thailand , Malaysia , Indonesia , Singapore
• Oceania: Australia , New Zealand

Technical specifications

system	AGM-84A / C	AGM-84D / G	AGM-84E SLAM	AGM-84F	AGM-84H / K SLAM-ER	AGM-84L (Block II)	AGM-84N (Block II +)
length	3.79 m		4.50 m	4.44 m	4.37 m	3.84 m
span	91.4 cm				243 cm	91.4 cm
diameter	34.3 cm
Weight	515 kg	554 kg	627 kg	635 kg	725 kg	525 kg	520 kg
speed	Mach 0.85
Range	120 km	220 km	> 110 km	315 km	280 km +	280 km	248.2 km
steering	INS , active radar target search		INS, GPS , FLIR , data link	INS, active radar target search	INS, GPS, FLIR, data link, ATA	INS, GPS, active radar target search	INS, GPS, data link, active radar target search
Warhead	221 kg, HE-Frag				360 kg, SAP	227 kg, SAP	135 kg, SAP

Others

The start of a UGM-84 is shown on the cover of the album "Just Supposin '" by the band Status Quo from 1980.

Comparable systems

• AS-18 Kazoo
• AS.34 cormorant
• RBS15
• SS-N-2 Styx
• SS-N-25 Switchblade

Web links

Commons : Harpoon missile  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

• Designation-Systems.net
• FAS.org
• Boeing's website for Harpoon Block 2/3

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Network-controlled Harpoon II . In. European Security & Technology 1/2016. P. 76.