Ukraine Reveals Secret US Harpoon Missile System Guarding the Black Sea for the First Time

Ukraine has publicly displayed its US-supplied Harpoon coastal defense missile system for the first time since receiving it in 2022. The launcher was presented during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the Odesa region, where Ukraine’s Navy showcased key elements of its coastal defense capabilities.

According to Ukrainian presidential materials released on July 4, the display formed part of a meeting with the Naval Forces Command focused on the security situation in southern Ukraine. The exhibition included the Harpoon system alongside other naval capabilities, although the Harpoon launcher had never before been officially shown.

During the visit, Ukrainian military officials presented several weapons used by the Naval Forces, including the Harpoon coastal missile system, domestically produced Neptune missiles, unmanned systems, and torpedo weapons.

According to the President’s Office, the meeting focused on strengthening security in Ukraine’s southern region and reviewing the operational capabilities of the country’s naval forces.

Ukraine received Harpoon coastal defense systems from the United States and Denmark in 2022. While the missiles have been used operationally since the early stages of their delivery, the appearance of the launchers had remained undisclosed until now.

According to Defence Blog, the newly released images show Ukraine operating a truck-mounted launcher carrying four Harpoon missile canisters—a configuration adapted for coastal defense from the missile’s original naval launch concept.

The Harpoon anti-ship missile was developed in the United States during the late 1960s. Boeing, which inherited the program after acquiring McDonnell Douglas, has continued producing and modernizing the system through several variants.

Depending on the version, Harpoon missiles are capable of striking maritime targets at ranges of roughly 70 to 130 nautical miles (130–240 kilometers). The missile flies at very low altitude over the sea and uses active radar guidance during its terminal phase. Later Block II variants also incorporated GPS navigation, allowing strikes against coastal and port infrastructure.

Harpoon missiles have seen combat in multiple conflicts since entering US Navy service in 1977. In Ukraine, the system became operational shortly after its delivery in 2022 and has been used against Russian naval targets in the Black Sea, including the Russian rescue tug Vasily Bekh, which was sunk in June 2022.

Earlier, the United States supplied Ukraine with low-cost ERAM cruise missiles developed under a rapid-production program. The experience gained from the initiative later became the basis for the US Air Force’s new Counter-Air Missile Program (CAMP), aimed at developing an affordable interceptor for air defense and fighter aircraft.

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