The RGM tilted and suspended on a single arm launcher in the above picture? The 84 Harpoon ship to ship missile looks a bit unusual. In the impression of many people, the "Harpoon" missile is usually packaged in a disposable storage/launch tube and installed on a multi mounted launch rack, and this type of naked missile launch is not common. In fact, the "Harpoon" missile was designed from the beginning to be adaptable to multiple launch devices, thus having different launch methods. Harpoon "is a general-purpose subsonic anti-ship missile developed by the United States, which can be roughly divided into three models based on the launch platform: AGM? 84 empty ship type UGM? 84 submarine type and RGM? 84 ship/shore ship types. AGM? The 84 airship type does not come with solid rocket boosters, is the shortest in size and lightest in weight, and is hung in the form of naked shells on external points of fighter jets, attack aircraft, and bombers. UGM? The 84 submarine type is equipped with solid rocket boosters, which are encapsulated in a torpedo shaped launch tube. They are launched to the surface through the submarine's torpedo tube and then ignited into the air. RGM? The 84 ship/shore ship type is the most equipped model, which can be compatible with various surface ships and shore ship missile launch vehicles, and the launch methods are also diverse. Its standard configuration is to seal the missile in a storage/launch tube and install it on the MK141 fixed inclined launch stand in a double or quadruple configuration. The entire set of launch tubes is arranged on the deck of the warship, which has been widely used on various types of warships. The same launch tube can also be assembled into a six unit unit and installed on vehicles for shore based mobile launch, thereby moving the "Harpoon" missile from the sea to the land. In addition, to enable the old ship to carry anti-ship missiles, RGM? The 84 ship/shore ship type is also compatible with early MK11 dual arm rotating launchers, MK13 single arm rotating launchers, and MK16 eight mounted rotating launchers. However, these systems were originally launch devices for "standard" ship to air missiles and "ASRock" anti submarine missiles. Once the "Harpoon" anti-ship missile is added, the number of air defense and anti submarine missiles carried will naturally decrease. Since the 1980s, the MK41 vertical launch system has emerged. The "Standard" ship to air missile and the "ASRock" anti submarine missile were packaged and sent into this square grid vertical launch well, but the "Harpoon" missile did not follow suit. There are three reasons for this: firstly, anti-ship operations require a longer period of reconnaissance and planning, and the dependence on "second level response" is not as urgent as air defense and anti submarine operations; The second is that the "Harpoon" missile was designed from the beginning to be launched in a tilted manner and does not have the thrust vectoring device required for vertical launch. If it were to be converted to vertical launch, the modification project would be complex; The third advantage is that the current MK141 fixed inclined launcher has a mature design and occupies more deck space than the MK41 launcher. Therefore, the US military ultimately chose to continue using the inclined launch method for the Harpoon missile. (New Society)