The Harpoon Missile at (Almost) 50: Evolution from Cold War Anti-Submarine Weapon to Key Coastal Defense Asset

The article traces the 50-year evolution of the Harpoon anti-ship missile, originally designed in the 1960s to kill surfaced submarines (whales in Navy slang). After the 1967 sinking of the Israeli destroyer Eilat by Soviet Styx missiles, the US Navy repurposed the Harpoon as its first ship-killing missile. It became the Western world's most widely fielded anti-ship weapon, with nearly 6,000 delivered to 30 nations. In July 2026, two significant events occurred: Taiwan stood up its new Littoral Combat Command centered on hundreds of truck-mounted Harpoons, and the US Navy delivered the final missiles of Lot 91, closing classic Block II production while a new updated variant begins production. The article argues the missile's success stems from its flexibility (air, surface, submarine launch) and continuous evolution, and notes its unexpected revival after being written off in the 2010s, demonstrated by Ukrainian truck crews using it effectively in the Black Sea.