Russian ships don’t dare to approach the shores of Ukraine as they are afraid of the weapons that Ukraine now has – in particular modernized and converted sea-based Harpoon missiles.
As a result, Russian missile launchers stay hundreds of km away in so-called missile-safe areas since they know the extent of damage that can be done.
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According to Dr. William A. LaPlante, Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, citing Defense News, the Ukrainian military has received Harpoon anti-ship missiles from partners, which were converted to a car platform. On Wednesday, September 7, he confirmed that sea-based Harpoon missiles were handed over to Ukraine, though they were first modernized and converted to cars.
“The story is that one country, which I will not name, had Harpoons installed on a ship, it was a sea-based Harpoon … We worked with this country and the contractor, removed them from the ship, and placed them on trucks with platforms,” LaPlante said.
He explained that Harpoon modules were installed on one car, and a power source was installed on another. According to LaPlante, the Ukrainian military received training in May on how to use these weapons.
LaPlante confirmed that the Ukrainians used modified Harpoon missiles to strike Russian ships at the end of May.
In mid-June, Ukraine reported receiving Harpoon missiles from Denmark. Just a few days later it was revealed that the Ukrainian military had sunk the Russian supply ship named Vasiliy Bekh. The Pentagon confirmed later that this ship had been destroyed with the help of Harpoon missiles. According to LaPlante, since then, Ukrainian forces had sunk another Russian warship with the help of Harpoons, but he did not reveal its name.
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The Harpoon weighs just under 700 kg, has a diameter of 34.3 centimeters and is about 12 feet long. It can travel up to 536 mph, work in all weather conditions, and is a subsonic over-the-horizon anti-ship missile system.
In April, Ukrainian forces used home-made anti-ship Neptune missiles to sink the Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Today, Sep. 8, the United States announced a new military aid package. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that Ukraine will receive another $675 million in US aid.
The new package will include more rounds for HIMARS artillery rocket launchers, which the Ukrainian military has used to pinpoint Russian troops as targets. In addition to shells, the new package will also include vehicles and other equipment for Ukrainian soldiers.
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