AGM-88 HARM

A U.S. supersonic air-to-surface missile family that homes on hostile radio-frequency emitters to suppress or destroy radar-guided air defenses.

Overview

The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile is the principal U.S.-origin weapon family for suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses. An aircraft launches it against radar and other radio-frequency emitters associated primarily with surface-to-air missile systems. The missile's speed shortens the time available for an air-defense crew to detect the attack, stop transmitting and relocate, while its passive seeker allows it to attack without broadcasting radar energy of its own.

Texas Instruments developed the original HARM to replace the AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard ARM. Raytheon subsequently assumed production of the legacy missile and developed the AGM-88F HARM Control Section Modification, while Northrop Grumman's branch of the family includes the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile, AGM-88G AARGM-ER and AGM-88J Stand-in Attack Weapon. The later weapons address a central weakness of passive anti-radiation missiles: a target radar may stop emitting before impact.

HARM has equipped dedicated U.S. Navy and Air Force suppression aircraft and has been exported widely. Its operational significance expanded after 2022, when Ukraine adapted Soviet-designed MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters to launch U.S.-supplied missiles against Russian air defenses. The number and specific variants supplied to Ukraine remain undisclosed.

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