Posted on 07/22/2011 5:14:58 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Boeing, US Navy Mark Harpoon Missile System’s 40th Anniversary
By NewsDesk
Harpoon is the Navy’s all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system.
Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Navy recognized the 40th anniversary of the Harpoon Missile System today at a ceremony near the company’s St. Charles facility.
“After four decades of cooperation with our Navy partners, Boeing’s dedicated and talented Harpoon team continues to find innovative ways to meet the needs of warfighters on today’s ever-changing battlefields,” said Debbie Rub, vice president and general manager for Boeing Missiles and Unmanned Airborne Systems (MUAS). “Throughout the life of this legacy program, Boeing has continually incorporated system upgrades to enhance the Harpoon’s reach and interoperability.”
“Today marks another significant milestone for the program. Our Navy-Boeing team has worked hard to consistently deliver a capable and reliable weapon to our fleet and to dozens of nations. The Harpoon is one of Naval Air System Command’s largest international programs, proving its success over the past 40 years,” said Rear Adm. William E. Shannon, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons.
Boeing has delivered more than 7,200 Harpoon and Harpoon Block II missiles for the U.S. Navy and more than 30 international military customers since the inaugural Harpoon contract was awarded by Naval Air Systems Command on June 21, 1971. Boeing received the Harpoon Block II contract on Nov. 16, 1998. More than 600 ships, 180 submarines, 12 different types of aircraft and land-based launch vehicles carry Harpoon missiles.
Nearly 300 Boeing team members develop, build, maintain and provide operational support for Harpoon at the St. Charles facility, which opened in July 1979.
Harpoon Block II missiles feature autonomous, all-weather, over-the-horizon capability and can execute missions against sea and land targets, including coastal defense sites, surface-to-air missile sites, exposed aircraft, port or industrial facilities, and ships in port.
Source: Boeing
ping
I worked for McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis back in the early 70’s as a design draftsman. We were only in the early stages of building test devices that were mounted on the Harpoon to measure thermal, stress, airflow, etc while the missile was in flight. Harpoon hadn’t even been tested at that time. I also remember looking our the window next to my drafting board and seeing the F-15’s doing test flights at Lambert. Later, they as well as the Harpoon were put into production stage. Also, did design drafting for the Airlock that was to go on the Sky Lab space station. Lots of memories.
Good, but slow. Subsonic. The Indian/Russian Brahmos has far superior performance.
The Yakhont/Brahmos and its ilk are significantly larger than the Harpoon so there are only a limited number of platforms which can deploy them; your average missile boat, submarine or tactical fighter wouldn’t be able to deploy the Brahmos the way they can launch Harpoons.
Besides its easier to retarget a subsonic weapon than a supersonic one.
Has it ever been used in combat?
I was on the submarine that test fired these guys. Have a awesome photo from overhead showing us launching them and they are breaking the surface together and getting into flight.
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I think it has. I think some were fired during the “shoot out in the Gulf of Sirte” with the Libyans a few years ago, although they may have been air launched versions. I think the Israelis have fired some too.
Iran sank two Iraqi missile boats in early 80’s and we sank an Iranian FFG in 1988 with a Harpoon.
I was only on one ship that carried Harpoon, an FFG. We loaded four at NWS Seal Beach for deployment and unloaded them as soon as we returned. Never saw one fired.
Well they are quite expensive - you don’t waste them on firework displays :)
There you go, Last Dakotan. There’s your answer :)
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