Harpoon Missile Launch at RIMPAC 2026 — Spain’s F 101

[00:00:00]On July 18th, the Spanish Navy announced that the frigate Álvaro de Bazán, better known by its pennant number F-101, had launched an RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile during RIMPAC 2026 near Hawaii.

[00:00:13]At first glance, this may look like a routine firing of a missile that has already been in service for several decades.

[00:00:20]But for Spain, the launch carried greater significance.

[00:00:24]It demonstrated that F-101 can still conduct an over-the-horizon anti-ship strike and, more importantly, do so as part of a large multinational force.

[00:00:34]But how much did this launch actually prove? And what does it tell us about the condition of Spain's anti-ship capability as the Navy prepares to replace Harpoon with the Naval Strike Missile?

[00:00:44]Today, we are going to examine that.

[00:00:47]RIMPAC is one of the largest multinational naval exercises in the world.

[00:00:52]The 2026 edition involved 30 countries, more than 30 surface ships, five submarines, and 206 aircraft.

[00:01:00]Against that background, the launch of a single missile may seem like a relatively small part of a much larger exercise.

[00:01:07]Its value, however, was not limited to testing the Harpoon itself. A live missile engagement must be coordinated with other ships and aircraft.

[00:01:16]The firing unit needs targeting information, positive identification of the target, authorization to engage, and confirmation that the firing area is clear.

[00:01:25]That process becomes considerably more complicated when ships, aircraft, and command structures from several countries are involved.

[00:01:33]There is, however, an important limitation to what we can conclude from this particular event.

[00:01:39]The Spanish announcement did not identify the target, the launch distance, or the final result of the missile's flight.

[00:01:45]We also do not know whether the missile carried a live or inert warhead.

[00:01:50]The firing therefore cannot be presented as evidence that Harpoon Block 1C can penetrate the layered defenses of a modern warship.

[00:01:57]What it does confirm is that the crew of F-101 successfully completed the launch procedure within a US-led multinational command structure. The Álvaro de Bazán entered service in September 2002.

[00:02:09]Its anti-ship armament consists of eight Harpoon 1C missiles carried in two four-round MK 141 launchers located amidships.

[00:02:18]These missiles are not launched from the frigate's 48-cell MK 41 vertical launch system.

[00:02:25]Both cells are used for SM-2 area defense missiles and quad-packed ESSM missiles.

[00:02:31]That distinction has practical consequences.

[00:02:34]Spain cannot increase the ship's Harpoon load simply by freeing several MK-41 cells. If the frigate begins a deployment with eight Harpoons, that is its entire anti-ship missile inventory until it returns to port for reloading.

[00:02:47]The Spanish Navy did not say how many Harpoons were aboard F-101 before the exercise.

[00:02:53]It therefore cannot automatically be assumed that the ship had seven missiles remaining after the launch.

[00:02:59]The RGM-84 Harpoon is a relatively large weapon.

[00:03:04]It is approximately 4.6 m long and has a launch weight of around 691 kg when fitted with its booster.

[00:03:12]After the missile leaves its canister, a solid-fuel booster accelerates it and then separates.

[00:03:18]A turbojet engine powers the rest of the flight at a speed of approximately 855 km/h.

[00:03:26]Published figures give this version a range of more than 60 nautical miles or around 111 km.

[00:03:33]Its actual reach depends on the selected route, flight profile, and required fuel reserves. Using the conservative figure of 111 km, a maximum-range flight would take roughly 8 minutes.

[00:03:46]The missile carries a penetrating blast warhead weighing approximately 221 kg.

[00:03:52]Its purpose is not necessarily to sink a ship immediately.

[00:03:56]A well-placed hit could start fires, damage machinery, disable propulsion, or leave the target unable to continue its mission.

[00:04:05]Before launch, the ship's combat system loads the target's estimated position, course, and speed into the missile. It also programs the flight path and determines when the missile's radar seeker should become active.

[00:04:17]After launch, the Harpoon navigates towards the predicted target area using inertial guidance and a radar altimeter.

[00:04:25]During the final stage, it descends to a low altitude, activates its own radar, and begins searching for the target.

[00:04:33]Flying close to the surface reduces the amount of warning available to the defending ship.

[00:04:38]Because of the curvature of the earth, an incoming sea-skimming missile can remain below the defending radar's horizon for much of its flight.

[00:04:45]Depending on radar height and environmental conditions, a Harpoon may only become visible at a distance of roughly 25 to 30 km.

[00:04:54]At its cruising speed, it could leave the defending ship with approximately 2 minutes to detect the missile, classify it, select a weapon, and launch an interceptor. A modern air defense system may be able to respond within that period.

[00:05:07]But any delay reduces an already limited window for reaction.

[00:05:11]Even so, the biggest constraint on Harpoon is not its engine or even its range.

[00:05:17]The main problem is finding a target beyond the horizon and providing the missile with sufficiently accurate information.

[00:05:23]F-101's own radar cannot directly track a low surface target at a distance of more than 100 km.

[00:05:31]The target would be hidden below the radar horizon.

[00:05:34]The frigate therefore needs information from another source. That could be another warship, a maritime patrol aircraft, an airborne radar platform, or, when properly equipped, its embarked SH-60B helicopter.

[00:05:47]F-101 uses Link 11 and Link 16 to exchange tactical information, while its Aegis combat system and AN/SPY-1D radar combine incoming data into a wider operational picture.

[00:06:00]But, seeing a symbol on a tactical display does not automatically mean that the ship can fire at it.

[00:06:05]The target's identity, position, course, and speed must be confirmed. The information must also be recent enough for the missile to arrive in an area where its radar seeker can find the intended ship.

[00:06:17]This is where the real value of the RIMPAC launch becomes clear.

[00:06:21]The exercise tested more than the Spanish frigate itself.

[00:06:25]It tested the multinational chain required to conduct a missile engagement.

[00:06:30]Who detected the target?

[00:06:32]Who transmitted its position?

[00:06:35]Who confirmed its identity?

[00:06:37]How was authorization to fire obtained?

[00:06:40]And how quickly did the information move between the forces of several countries?

[00:06:45]In a real naval operation, those questions may matter more than a relatively small difference in the stated range of two missiles.

[00:06:52]Harpoon Block 1C nevertheless remains a weapon of its generation.

[00:06:57]It does not have a two-way data link, the ability to receive targeting updates in flight, or an option to abort the engagement after launch. If the target makes a major course change and moves outside the predicted search area, F-101 cannot redirect the missile.

[00:07:12]Its active radar seeker may also have difficulty selecting the correct target among closely spaced warships, civilian shipping, and radar returns from the coastline.

[00:07:21]For this reason, Harpoon Block 1C is better suited to engagements in open water against a relatively isolated target.

[00:07:29]This also explains why Spain is already preparing its replacement.

[00:07:33]In December 2023, Madrid awarded Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace a 305 million euro contract for naval strike missiles. Spain's new F-110 frigates are expected to receive the NSM first.

[00:07:47]The missiles are then planned for installation aboard the F-100 class during its midlife modernization.

[00:07:54]Until that process is completed, Harpoon remains the Spanish Navy's principal ship-launched anti-surface weapon.

[00:08:01]Live firings are therefore still necessary.

[00:08:04]They allow the Navy to test the condition of the launch canisters, the reliability of the control equipment, the training of the crew, and the readiness of missiles that have spent many years in storage and service. The launch near Hawaii does not prove that an aging Harpoon can easily defeat the defenses of a modern warship.

[00:08:21]The Spanish Navy is not claiming that it does.

[00:08:24]But the firing confirms that F-101 can still use its anti-ship weapon and operate within the wider targeting and command structure of a US-led multinational force.

[00:08:34]That is the main result of this exercise.

[00:08:37]Spain is currently operating between two generations of anti-ship weapons.

[00:08:42]Harpoon is still functional. Spanish crews still know how to use it, and the existing frigates retain an over-the-horizon strike capability. At the same time, the limitations of Block 1C are becoming increasingly visible, especially when compared with newer weapons offering more advanced navigation, target updates, and improved target selection capabilities.

[00:09:02]What do you think about this launch?

[00:09:05]Does it demonstrate that Harpoon remains an effective weapon, or does it underline the need to rearm Spain's frigates with the Naval Strike Missile as quickly as possible?

[00:09:14]Let us know in the comments.