The House and the Senate have backed a proposal to upgrade Boeing’s Harpoon anti-ship missile to a Block II+ configuration for approximately $26.8 million, according to a conference report on fiscal year 2019’s National Defense Authorization Act, Defense News reported.The move follows the U.S. Navy‘s launch of six of the ship-sinking missiles during a Rim of the Pacific Exercise between the U.S. and allied nations. That exercise saw the Harpoon launched from the Olympia, making it the first time the missile was deployed from a submarine in 20 years.
The funding, $12 million more than the Navy’s request, will equip the missile with GPS and a datalink enabling operators to change the missile’s target mid-flight.
The Navy expects to receive an initial operational capability certification for Harpoon Block II+ this year, as the company continues to develop a version of the missile with an extended range.
The Harpoon missile can be fired from an F/A-18, a P-8 or from canisters on a ship.
