The Whaling Fork anti-ship missile (also known as Harpoon) is an all-weather high-subsonic cruise anti-ship missile developed by the United States, which can be carried by a variety of platforms such as aircraft, surface ships and submarines. Commissioned in 1979, it has equipped 234 U.S. ships and exported to more than a dozen countries, and was first used in combat in 1986, sinking a large Libyan missile boat. In the Gulf War, all ships, submarines and combat aircraft involved in the Gulf War were equipped with Whaling Fork missiles.
Performance characteristics
1. One bullet for multiple purposes. It is possible to launch from a variety of platforms. Both as an air-to-ship and ship-to-ship, as well as as as a submarine-to-ship missile.
2. Good adaptability. Launch can be from a variety of existing launchers. The Whaling Fork missiles can be launched on Aslok anti-submarine missile launchers, Beagle and Tatar ship-to-air missile launchers, quadruple box launchers, MK-41 vertical launch systems, standard torpedo tubes, MAU-9A/and Aero -65A1 aircraft launchers, etc.
3. Hidden air intake. The air intake of the Whaling Fork missile is hidden in the shell body, suitable for firing from standard submarine torpedo tubes.
4. Non-powered carrier is used when submarine. The underwater launch of the "Whaling Fork" missile runs without sound, and it has good concealment when attacking.
5. Strong anti-interference ability. The "Whaling Fork" missile adopts frequency-agile active radar terminal guidance, the missile has a strong anti-jamming ability, and is now switching to an imaging seeker to further improve the anti-jamming capability.
Identify characteristics
1. The projectile body is cylindrical and the warhead is blunt and round.
2. Two sets of control surfaces, the first group is located in the tail of the projectile, the size is small, 4 pieces are symmetrical, the leading edge is swept back, and the trailing edge is straight. The second group is located in the posterior position in the middle of the projectile body, trapezoidal, with the leading edge swept backward and the trailing edge swept forward.
Practical application
The first use of the Whaling Fork missile was during the Iran-Iraq War, when the U.S. military attacked Iranian naval vessels in the Persian Gulf. Initially, an Iranian speedboat was destroyed with 4 RGM-84s (2 from the cruiser Wainwright and 2 from the destroyer USS Simpson). Separately, an Iranian frigate "Sahand" was hit by an AGM-6 launched from an A-84 aircraft taking off from an aircraft carrier.
On March 23 and 25, 1986, during the U.S. war against Libya, U.S. forces sank three Libyan patrol boats and a Soviet-made Nanuchika-class corgate with five Whaling fork missiles in the Gulf of Sidra.
During the Gulf War in early 1991, an RGM-84 Whaling Missile launched by the Saudi Arabian Navy in the Persian Gulf destroyed an Iraqi minelayer.