Harpoon SSM (1977- )

The HARPOON missile in a low altitude flying over the ocean

The HARPOON missile in a low altitude flying over the ocean,
the booster has been released.
(Photo: US Navy)

-

General Specification:

Danish Apellation:

Harpoon SSM

Type of Origin:

RGM-84 Harpoon

Type:

SSM - Surface-to-surface missil [1]

Primary Usage:

Surface targets [2]

Engine:

Teledyne Turbojet

Thrust:

Greater than 272.2 kg

Length:

4.6 m (3.8 m without booster) [1]

Diameter:

34.3 cm

Span:

91.4 cm

Weight:

690.8 kg with booster

Maximum Range:

Over-the-horizon, in excess of 67 nautical miles (124 km)

Speed:

Mach 0,85

Homing:

Sea-skimming cruise monitored by radar altimeter/active radar terminal homing.

Warhead:

Penetration / high-explosive blast - 224 kg

Launcher:

Cylindrical canister mounted with a fixed vertical elevation of 35 degrees [4]

Unit price:

Est. 1.2 mill. US $ per missile (Block II)

Manufacturer:

The Boeing Company, USA

Country of Origin:

USA 1977

Modifications:

Please notice note [2]

Weapon or Weapon System in use or used on:
Ship or Class:	Number:	In Service:
ABSALON Class, command & support ships (2)	2 x 4	2005 -
FLYVEFISKEN Class, patrol vessels (4) [3]	2 x 4	1993 -
NIELS JUEL Class, corvettes (3)	2 x 4	1980 -
Mobile Costal Missile Batteries (2)	2 x 8	1993 - 2003
WILLEMOES Class, guided missile boats (10) [4]	2 x 2 (4)	1978 - 2000
PEDER SKRAM Class, frigates (2) [5]	2 x 4	1977 - 1990

Notes:
[1]	Some countries, including the USA, do also carry an airborne version of this missile. This version is a little shorter lacking the booster.
[2]	Under a 1998 agreement between Boeing and the US Navy, an advanced upgrade to Harpoon missile was developed. This Harpoon Block II missile incorporated Global Positioning System-assisted inertial navigation, which enables the system to have both an anti-ship and a land attack capability. Denmark and Canada were the first countries outside the USA to adobt this upgrading (2005).
[3]	All units of the FLYVEFISKEN Class can be fitted with Harpoon Missile System, after the launcher now has been containerized into the Standardflex-system
[4]	A normal mount normally carries 4 canisters, bu du primarly to weight problems the guided missile boats of the WILLEMOES Class were mostly only armed with two missiles per mount.
[5]	Missile Incident at Lumsaas - September 5, 1982 The frigate PEDER SKRAM accidentally launched a HARPOON missile. The SSM missile strikes a residential area close to Lumsaas in North Western Zealand. Fortunately, no people are injured. 44Read the complete story here

^{|To the Top}

Additional Sources:
"	United States Navy Fact File
44You are also referred to the Naval Bibliography

- Do you have photos or other information
on this weapon or weapon system?

Are you able to contribute to the unfolding of the Danish Naval History,
please e-mail me, enclosures are welcome.
Please remember to list your sources.

You can also use the Naval Web Forum on this web-site.

^{|To the Top}

INDEX OF
NAVY SHIPS
(alphabetical):

A	B	C	D	E	F
G	H	I	J	K	L
M	N	O	P	R	S
T	U	V	Y	Æ	Ø
1-9

This page was last updated: -

This page was first published: Januar 27, 2006