What is the ARES HARPOON class? Interceptors above 55 knots
The ARES HARPOON class covers the fast interceptor craft that Ares Shipyard designed for interception, interdiction and special forces insertion missions. The official catalog lists the ARES 24, 35, 55 and 65 HARPOON models; the 11.90-meter ARES 35 HARPOON exceeds 55 knots according to manufacturer data. The 24-meter-class boats in Qatar’s 2014 contract were also among the first serial-production examples of this mission profile.
The class’s mission set
The official product page lists the class’s missions as interception and interdiction operations, counter-smuggling, insertion and extraction of special forces, and surveillance and patrol. In the interceptor category the defining criterion is speed: cutting off a target vessel, forcing it to submit to a search, or delivering a special forces team to its objective requires cruising speeds markedly higher than those of patrol boats. For this reason the class uses surface drive systems instead of waterjets, and the hulls are built from advanced composites.
Models and verified data
| Model | Length class | Verified data |
|---|---|---|
| ARES 24 HARPOON | ~7-8 m | 2 carried on the aft deck of the ARES 150 BOLD (official product page) |
| ARES 35 HARPOON | 11.90 m | 55+ kn; 2x diesel + surface drive; composite hull; IACS (official product page) |
| ARES 55 HARPOON | ~17 m | Catalog model; detailed data not officially disclosed |
| ARES 65 HARPOON | ~20 m | Catalog model; detailed data not officially disclosed |
The numbers in model names indicate approximate length in feet. The technical pages for models other than the ARES 35 HARPOON are summary-level; their speed and range figures are not officially disclosed.
ARES 35 HARPOON: the verified member of the class
According to the official page, the ARES 35 HARPOON is 11.90 meters long, 3.76 meters in beam and has a draft of 0.80 meters. With two diesel engines and surface drives it exceeds 55 knots. Its hull dimensions are nearly identical to the ARES 35 FPB; the two designs can be read as versions of the same hull family adapted to different missions. The FPB, with waterjets and 35 knots, is optimized for patrol endurance; the HARPOON, with surface drives and 55 knots, for interception speed. The company states that the configuration is fully customizable to customer requirements.
Operating with a mother ship
The class’s distinctive use case is operating together with larger patrol vessels. As seen in the ARES 150 BOLD technical comparison file, the 48-meter mother ship carries two ARES 24 HARPOONs on its aft deck; the arrangement makes it possible to respond to a target detected on the open sea with two fast assets independent of the mother ship. A similar concept is repeated with the RHIB-carrying arrangement in the SAT class of special operations craft. The company has announced the use of HARPOON-class boats in Qatar Coast Guard missions shared in 2022.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the HARPOON class and the FPB class?
The FPB class consists of waterjet-driven patrol boats operating in the 35-knot band; the HARPOON class consists of surface-drive interceptor craft that, in the case of the ARES 35 HARPOON, exceed 55 knots. Its mission is interception, not patrol.
Do HARPOON boats carry weapons?
The official pages list navigation and communications systems; the weapons configuration is determined by the customer and is not officially detailed.
Which countries operate the class?
The Qatar program included the delivery of 24-meter-class fast boats, and ARES 150 BOLD vessels also carry ARES 24 HARPOONs. Other operators are not officially disclosed.
How fast is the ARES 35 HARPOON?
More than 55 knots, according to manufacturer data. No independent measurement has been published.
What is a surface drive?
It is a propulsion arrangement in which the propeller operates partly at the water surface, reducing drag and enabling very high speeds; it is common on high-speed interceptor craft.
Sources and verification note
Technical figures were taken from the official product pages; undisclosed values are noted. Accessed: August 13, 2026.
- https://ares.global/vessels/patrol/ares-35-harpoon
- https://ares.global/vessels/patrol
- https://ares.global/vessels/patrol/ares-150-bold
- https://ares.global/media-center/news/ares-shipyard-is-full-steam-ahead-in-qatar-to-support-maritime-security
- https://www.defenceturkey.com/en/content/ares-shipyard-world-s-greatest-composite-hull-ship-manufacturer-early-delivers-the-multi-role-patrol-crafts-to-qatari-coast-guard-command-2907
