The use of Harpoon anti-ship missile on foreign customers of the F-16 is not uncommon. Integrating them on American F-16s is.
The U.S. Air Force 53rd Test and Evaluation Group’s Detachment 3 performed the first noninvasive integration of the Harpoon Block II+ anti-ship missile at Nellis Air Force Base, demonstrating the force’s ability to integrate weapons in a short timeframe outside the bounds of traditional approaches to integration.
In a statement to the media, the U.S. Air Force explained its objectives and intended lessons from the test.
“The primary objective was to demonstrate that rapid weapons integration on U.S. Air Force platforms can be achieved efficiently by modifying middleware, without necessitating extensive updates to the aircraft itself.”
1st Lt. Rebecca Abordo, 53rd Wing Public Affairs Office, U.S. Air Force
Traditional integration paths often take years, beginning with captive carry tests and ground tests of weapon releases, eventually moving into telemetry tests for weapon releases. The demonstration by the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group shrunk that period, allowing new weapons and capabilities to be added in contingencies.
The integration required no modifications to the aircraft, opting instead for software changes that facilitated communication between the missile and aircraft, shortening the time needed for integration while significantly lowering costs.
Current F-16 operators with Harpoon capability include Ukraine, Turkey, Taiwan, Egypt, Oman, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Singapore.
If the U.S. Air Force chooses to continue on the path of acquiring Harpoons for its fleet of F-16s, it would provide the force with an additional aircraft and weapon type that can perform strike missions against surface targets. The current Air Force AGM-158C LRASM inventory is carried by strategic bombers with plans to integrate LRASM on the F-15EX in the future.
“This test paves the way for future projects across various platforms and weapons systems, offering leaders expanded options for operational and contingency planning.”
Chief Project Manager, 53rd Test and Evaluation Wing, U.S. Air Force
If pursued, the U.S. Air Force would also have the opportunity to integrate the AGM-84K SLAM-ER ATA, part of the Harpoon family of missiles, onto its F-15E fleet. The South Korean F-15K, an F-15E variant, currently operates with the SLAM-ER ATA which was integrated in the late 2000s.
Boeing’s production line of the Harpoon family continues to operate for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, with a $3.1 billion contract signed in 2020 to continue production for Harpoon and SLAM-ER through 2028. If the Air Force pursues further integration and contracts for Harpoon and SLAM-ER, it would leverage an existing, mature production line.
Boeing also completed a 35,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in 2021 to support increased production for the Harpoon and SLAM ER programs.
“The skill and creativity of the U.S. Armed Forces can lead to great results when they have the freedom to work outside the usual red tape. This effort highlights the potential to streamline processes and improve our overall combat readiness.”
Chief Project Manager, 53rd Test and Evaluation Wing, U.S. Air Force
