Washington / California : The U.S. Navy has successfully completed the final planned flight test of the Harpoon Block II Update (HIIU) missile, confirming the effectiveness of the upgraded weapon in both coastal and land-attack missions and marking the conclusion of a multi-year obsolescence update program for one of the Navy’s longest-serving precision strike systems.
On February 5, 2026, Naval Air Systems Command announced that the third and final flight test under the Harpoon Block II Update Obsolescence Update program had been carried out in mid-January 2026. The test series was designed to validate missile performance following extensive hardware and software modernization intended to extend production and sustainment well into the future.
The final test was conducted on January 16 over the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake test range and the Point Mugu Sea Range, using an air-launched configuration. An F-15 aircraft released the missile at approximately 12,000 feet above ground level. After launch, the missile descended to an intermediate waypoint near 5,000 feet, transitioned through multiple altitude changes, and then executed a steep terminal dive against a representative land target. The profile was designed to replicate a realistic coastal target suppression mission in complex littoral terrain.
According to preliminary Navy assessments, all test objectives were met. The missile successfully demonstrated stable flight, accurate navigation through programmed waypoints, and proper terminal behavior, validating both the updated guidance chain and flight-control software. The test also confirmed full integration between the modernized missile and the launch platform.
Completion of a Three-Test Validation Series
The January event concluded a three-flight test campaign structured to retire technical risk across the full Harpoon Block II Update mission envelope. The first test focused on guidance, navigation, and aerodynamic performance, confirming that the redesigned missile could fly planned trajectories using its updated internal architecture. The second test demonstrated engagement of a moving maritime target, validating seeker performance and flight behavior against a surface combatant underway at sea.
The third and final test extended validation to land-attack operations, confirming that the missile retains its dual-role capability against both moving ships and fixed coastal or inland targets. Together, the series demonstrates that the HIIU configuration meets operational requirements across open-ocean, littoral, and coastal environments.
Capt. Sarah Abbott, program manager for PMA-201, said the milestone reflected sustained coordination across government and industry teams responsible for requirements definition, testing, integration, and logistics support.
Obsolescence Update and Industrial Sustainment
The Harpoon Block II Update Obsolescence Update program was initiated to address component obsolescence arising from the missile’s original 1970s-era design, while preserving its operational relevance. The effort replaces aging electronics and re-architects critical subsystems to ensure continued manufacturability, supportability, and compatibility with modern aircraft, ships, and shore-based launch systems.
Boeing, the prime contractor for Harpoon, has described the HIIU configuration as a near-complete modernization of the missile’s internal systems. Updates include new electronics, modern processing hardware, revised interfaces for current operational flight programs, and an architecture intended to support future upgrades without requiring major redesign.
The program is managed by PMA-201 under the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. The effort involves a network of U.S. and allied subcontractors supporting production lines and sustainment infrastructure, reflecting renewed global demand for Harpoon-family missiles.
Bob Cress, development team lead for SLAM-ER and HIIU, noted that the final test was the result of coordinated work by program managers, engineers, logisticians, test and evaluation personnel, aircrew, ground support teams, and range staff across multiple organizations.
Operational Relevance in Littoral Environments
The successful coastal target suppression profile demonstrated in the final test is representative of operational scenarios in which the missile must transition from over-water flight to inland attack while navigating terrain, clutter, and defended coastal zones. Such profiles allow launching aircraft or ships to remain outside the engagement range of many shore-based air defense systems while still holding coastal infrastructure, radar sites, missile batteries, or port facilities at risk.
Harpoon Block II is a subsonic, sea-skimming missile equipped with a GPS-aided inertial navigation system and an active radar seeker for terminal guidance. This combination enables engagement of both moving maritime targets and fixed land targets. The missile carries a blast-fragmentation warhead of approximately 220–230 kilograms and supports programmable waypoints that allow flexible routing around terrain and along coastlines.
The January flight profile illustrated how these capabilities are employed tactically. Following release from medium altitude, the missile descended to reduce detectability, navigated through intermediate waypoints to manage terrain and approach geometry, and then executed a steep terminal dive to achieve the required impact conditions against the target.
Implications for U.S. and Allied Forces
Completion of system-level flight testing allows the Harpoon Block II Update to transition from development and validation into operational delivery. Initial deliveries of HIIU missiles are expected later in 2026. More than 30 countries operate Harpoon-family weapons, and the obsolescence update ensures that these users can continue to procure and sustain the missile.
For the United States, the upgrade preserves a large inventory of air-, surface-, submarine-, and shore-launched anti-ship and coastal strike weapons at a time when demand for sea-control capabilities is increasing. For allied operators, particularly those fielding Harpoon Coastal Defense System batteries, the update secures continued access to a common, interoperable missile family through U.S. Foreign Military Sales channels.
NAVAIR has stated that the Harpoon Block II Update “builds on the Harpoon’s 50-plus-year legacy by addressing obsolescence items and preparing the weapon to extend production around the world.” With the final planned flight test completed and all objectives met, the Navy has confirmed that the modernized Harpoon remains a viable and supportable option alongside newer missile systems as naval forces prepare for contested littoral operations.
——— End of Article ———
