Russia reportedly destroys two Ukrainian Harpoon missiles launchers donated by UK


According to information published by Tass on July 8, 2022, the Russian forces delivered strikes by sea-launched smart weapons to wipe out two Harpoon missile launchers in Odessa region delivered by the UK to the Ukrainian military, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov reported.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Video released of a rocket launch aimed to destroy two British anti-ship Harpoon missile rocket launchers (Picture source: Russian MoD)


In mid-June 2022, the UK Defence Secretary said that they also were looking into supplying Ukraine with the missiles. On 17 June, Ukraine claimed to have sunk the tugboat Spasatel Vasily Bekh with two Harpoon missiles.

About the Harpoon missile

The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security). The AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) and later AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack Missile - Expanded Response) are cruise missile variants.

Harpoon is launched by a three-second burn from its solid-fuel booster, after which it is at cruising speed and its air-breathing turbojet sustainer motor takes over.

At launch, the missile is programmed to fly toward a target up to 60 nautical miles away. A radio altimeter keeps the missile just above the wavetops until it nears the target. In the last seconds of flight, the missile closes in on the target using an active radar homer, and its 500-pound warhead explodes within the ship.

Air-launched versions dispense with solid-fuel boosters. Submarine-launched versions are expelled in a water-tight canister through torpedo tubes, to be fired as they broach the surface.