Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:15:03-2:15:21

Would Harpoon missiles help Ukraine in 2022?

Harpoon transfers could help Ukraine if the missiles arrived in usable form, especially as its available anti-ship weapons were likely being depleted.

Anti-Ship MissilesCoastal DefenceHarpoon MissileMilitary AidRusso-Ukrainian WarUkraineUnited StatesWeapons Integration
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Question

Would a United States transfer of Harpoon anti-ship missiles be useful to Ukraine?

Short answer

Yes, if the missiles were delivered in usable form, because Ukraine needed additional stocks.

Notes

Reports in June 2022 suggested that the United States would provide Ukraine with Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The assessment is conditional: the transfer matters only if the weapons arrive and Ukrainian forces can employ them. If those conditions are met, additional missiles would be useful because Ukraine needed more and might have been running short. Delivery and usability matter more than the announcement alone.