Subs Will Get Harpoon Missiles Next Year, Navy Undersea Warfare Director Says

ARLINGTON, Va. — The admiral in charge of undersea warfare requirements said the Harpoon anti-ship missile will be returning to the submarine force next year, restoring more lethality to the sub force. 

“I am happy to report that we will have the first refurbished [Harpoon] missiles delivered to the fleet in FY21,” said Rear Adm. Thomas Ishee, director of undersea warfare in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, speaking Nov. 7 at the Naval Submarine League’s annual symposium in Arlington. 

In a demonstration in the 2018 Rim of the Pacific exercise, a Harpoon was fired from the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Olympia at a target ship, the first time one was fired from a U.S. Navy submarine since the UGM-84A Harpoons were withdrawn from the force in 1997. 

The UGM-84A is encapsulated to be fired from a torpedo tube and has a rocket booster to propel it above the surface of the water and into flight.