The Harpoon Missile at (Almost) 50: How a Cold War Whale-Hunter Became the Free World’s Ship-Killer, and Why It Refuses to Retire
The article traces the 50-year evolution of the Harpoon anti-ship missile, originally designed in the 1960s to kill surfaced Soviet submarines (whales in Navy slang). After the 1967 sinking of the Israeli destroyer Eilat by Soviet Styx missiles, the U.S. Navy repurposed the Harpoon as its first dedicated ship-killing missile. It entered service in 1977 and became the Western world's most widely fielded anti-ship weapon, with nearly 6,000 delivered to 30 nations. In July 2026, the missile's story turned again: Taiwan stood up its new Littoral Combat Command, centered on hundreds of truck-mounted Harpoons, while the U.S. Navy closed out the classic Harpoon Block II production run (Lot 91) and began production of an updated variant. The article highlights the missile's adaptability, sea-skimming profile, and enduring relevance despite being phased out of some U.S. fleet roles.
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