What anti-ship missiles did German Navy F-104s carry?

Short answer

The naval variant first used AS.30 command-guided missiles and later the AS.34 Kormoran, a more sophisticated, longer-range, radar-guided weapon enabling stand-off attacks on enemy ships. Development of the Kormoran began in 1962, and 350 Kormoran 1 units were built.

Published: October 31, 2026 · Updated: October 31, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

What anti-ship missiles did German Navy F-104s carry?

F-104 right side view

From the AS.30 to the AS.34 Kormoran

The naval variant of the Starfighter initially used AS.30 command-guided missiles as anti-ship armament. Those AS.30s were replaced by the AS.34 Kormoran, a more sophisticated, longer-range, radar-guided weapon. The change allowed stand-off attacks against enemy ships. The Kormoran 1 was fitted to the German Navy's F-104Gs in 1984.

A programme started in 1962

Development of the Kormoran began in 1962. In 1967 the programme passed into the hands of Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm, now part of EADS. 350 Kormoran 1 units were produced.

Inertial guidance and active radar

The missile was originally designed for attacking ships in coastal waters, though it retained a secondary capability for attacking land targets. During the mid-course phase of flight it used an inertial guidance system, switching to active radar guidance in the terminal attack phase. That combination of inertial guidance and active radar was found in the weapon that replaced the AS.30 on German naval Starfighters. The Kormoran was also deployed on the Panavia Tornado.