Taiwan plans to build six new Harpoon antiship missile bases.

Taiwan is boosting its defense capabilities by planning to build six Harpoon missile bases, as announced by military officials on November 10. Designed to house mobile Harpoon missiles, these bases will serve multiple purposes, including offices, living quarters, garages, and peace-time training facilities, ensuring minimal noise pollution and maximum safety. The missiles, intended for coastal defense, will be deployed only in wartime or under special circumstances.
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US Harpoon surface-to-surface missile (Picture source: US DoD)

The proposed locations for these bases include Huwei Township in Yunlin, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and several other sites. However, this plan has faced some local opposition. Yunlin County Councilors Lee Ming-che and Huang Wen-Hsiang voiced their concerns at a council meeting on November 7, noting that Huwei is at the heart of Yunlin and already crowded with ongoing construction projects. They raised objections due to the offensive nature of the Harpoon missiles and the proximity of the proposed base to a high-speed rail station, urging the Ministry of National Defense to reconsider the plan in light of local development and resident safety.

The Harpoon Block II RGM-84L-4 is an anti-ship missile manufactured by Boeing Defence, Space & Security, known for its ability to perform both land and sea missions. As a versatile missile, it can be used in all weather conditions to engage a wide range of land targets, including coastal defense sites, surface-to-air missile sites, aircraft, port or industrial facilities, and ships docked in ports.

The main components of the Harpoon Block II include a booster, launch support structure, and canisters, as well as a command and launch system. It is equipped with a penetrating, high-explosive warhead of over 225 kg, providing sufficient firepower to destroy varied targets. The ship-launched missile is 4.62 meters long, while the air-launched version measures 3.84 meters. Its diameter is 34.3 cm, and its weight varies between 526 kg and 690.8 kg depending on the launch configuration.

The Harpoon Block II uses a GPS-aided inertial navigation system to strike land and maritime targets. It integrates a cost-effective inertial measurement unit from the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) program and also uses a software package, mission computer, integrated GPS/INS, as well as a GPS antenna and receiver from the AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER). Its guidance control unit incorporates a GPS receiver with a Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) and can also be equipped with a data link for network-centric operations. This combination ensures precise navigation and improves target discrimination, increasing the probability of hitting warships close to shore or navigating narrow sea routes.

For propulsion, the missile is equipped with a Teledyne turbojet engine and a solid propellant booster, providing a thrust of over 272.2 kg. This propulsion system enables it to reach a high subsonic speed and a range of 124 kilometers.

In terms of launch platforms, the Harpoon Block II is versatile and can be launched from all existing Harpoon missile launch systems equipped with command and launch systems or the Advanced Harpoon Weapon Control System (AHWCS). It can be deployed from submarines and surface ships such as fast patrol boats, destroyers, and frigates, as well as from aerial platforms including F/A-18, F-15, F-16, F-27, F-50, P-3, and S-3 aircraft. The Harpoon Block II missiles can also be launched from mobile land-based truck platforms.

This initiative follows the U.S. approval in 2020 of the sale of 100 sets of shore-mounted Harpoon missile systems to Taiwan. This deal includes 400 Harpoon Block II RGM-84L-4 missiles and related equipment. Taiwan is in discussions with the U.S. to expedite the delivery of these arms, aiming to receive more than half of the missiles within the next three years and the remainder by the end of 2029.