
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 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 Royal Canadian Navy carries Harpoon missiles on its Halifax-class frigates. The British Royal Navy deploys the Harpoon on several types of surface ships. 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 Royal Australian Navy deploys the Harpoon on major surface combatants and in the Collins-class submarines. The Royal Australian Air Force can fire AGM-84-series missiles from its F/A-18F Super Hornets, F/A-18A/B Hornets, and AP-3C Orion aircraft, and previously from the now retired F-111C/Gs. The Harpoon was purchased by many American allies, including India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and most NATO countries. 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. The first Harpoon was delivered in 1977 in 2004, Boeing delivered the 7,000th. surface warships such as the Ticonderoga-class cruiser. 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. 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 conscious of the threat posed by anti-ship missiles.

The name Harpoon was assigned to the project.


In 1965 the United States Navy began studies for a missile in the 45 kilometres (24 nmi) range class for use against surfaced submarines. USS Coronado launches the first over-the-horizon missile engagement using a Harpoon Block 1C missile during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2016 in the Pacific Ocean, 21 July 2016.Īir intake (black triangle) for turbojet is visible on the underside
