Analysts spotted missile launcher Ukraine had kept classified for three years

Ukraine showed its Harpoon for the first time on 4 July. The launchers appeared in a video from Zelenskyy’s working trip to Odesa Oblast, during which he held a coordination meeting with the Ukrainian Navy Command on missile and drone threats, sea threats, and Ukrainian deep strikes.

The Harpoon has been in service with the Ukrainian Navy since 2022 and has destroyed Russian ships, but its launcher configuration has been classified.

Defense Express experts spotted the launchers in the released footage. In addition to the Harpoon, photos were also released showing the launcher of the Norwegian-made NSM (Naval Strike Missile) anti-ship missile system developed by Kongsberg.

Norwegian NSM deliveries to Ukraine had never been officially announced and were only reported at the media level.

Ukraine’s anti-ship inventory has expanded throughout the war. Ukrainian forces used domestic Neptune missiles to sink Russia’s cruiser Moskva in April 2022. The US and its allies considered both Harpoon and NSM transfers to Ukraine that same May. The Ukrainian Navy confirmed the combat debut of the Swedish RBS 15 anti-ship missile in April 2026.

Harpoon launcher shows sea-container configuration

Ukraine received a Harpoon variant installed inside a sea container, with four transport-launch canisters. Although Harpoon missiles are not young, Boeing has been modernizing the platform, and in 2025, the company tested an updated Harpoon Block II variant.

NSM origin remains unknown

The NSM launcher shown in Ukraine has a distinctive Ukrainian paint scheme that does not match any documented source country. Poland was reported in 2023 as a potential source, with Ukraine possibly buying a battery or even a battalion of the NSM Coastal Defense System from Warsaw. But the Ukrainian variant’s different painting leaves the actual source unknown.

The system was jointly developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon, with a coastal-launched range of 250 km. Kongsberg has expanded its presence in Ukraine through 2025 and 2026, including NASAMS integration and a planned joint venture for interceptor missile production.