The U.S. Navy completed the third and final planned flight test of the Harpoon Block II Update (HIIU) Obsolescence Update program on Jan. 16, 2026, at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and the Point Mugu Sea Range in California. The test, conducted by the Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201) program office in partnership with Boeing, marked a major milestone in modernizing the long-serving Harpoon missile system to address obsolescence and sustain fleet capability.
The flight demonstrated a successful Coastal Target Suppression mission against a representative land target, with all objectives met according to preliminary data. The missile, launched from an F-15 at about 12,000 feet above ground level, executed multiple altitude changes to simulate coastal engagement. It descended to an initial waypoint altitude of 5,000 feet, advanced to the target area, and performed a steep terminal dive before impact.
Capt. Sarah Abbott, PMA-201 program manager, stated: “This milestone reflects the strength of the integrated government and industry team and their commitment to delivering reliable, relevant capability to the fleet.”
The HIIU flight test series included three progressive events. The first validated guidance and aerodynamic performance. The second confirmed engagement of a moving maritime surface target. The third, now complete, verified effectiveness against a land-based target, underscoring the weapon’s versatility for anti-ship and land-strike roles.
Bob Cress, SLAM ER/HIIU development team lead, said: “This achievement reflects the coordinated efforts of professionals across program management, engineering, logistics, test and evaluation, aircrew, ground support, and range teams, alongside our industry partners.”
System-level flight testing for the HIIU Obsolescence Update is now nearly finished. Initial deliveries to the fleet are scheduled for later in 2026. The update extends the Harpoon’s operational life by replacing outdated components while preserving core performance. The Harpoon missile, in service for more than 50 years, equips the U.S. Navy and over 30 foreign partner nations for maritime strike and coastal land-attack missions.
Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River, Maryland, oversees the PMA-201 program office responsible for precision strike weapons development and sustainment. The successful test series advances efforts to maintain a capable, producible Harpoon inventory amid evolving threats. The program supports global production and sustainment, ensuring continued availability for allied forces.
This milestone follows incremental progress in addressing obsolescence challenges in legacy systems. The Harpoon remains a cornerstone of naval surface warfare, with the HIIU enhancements focused on reliability, maintainability, and extended service life without major redesign.