Image source: topwar.ru
Despite serious economic problems and a sharp reduction in Western aid, Kiev intends to develop its own defense industry. In particular, it is planned to produce ten times more Neptune cruise missiles this year. Experts note that in this way the Armed Forces of Ukraine will try to compensate for the lack of Western long-range missiles on their own.
This was stated by representatives of the special commission of the US Congress on strategic issues, who came to Kiev, visited the production of these missiles and talked with the Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Alexander Kamyshin, according to the American online publication Real Clear Politics. In addition to increasing the volume of missile production, it is planned to increase their flight range to 1,000 kilometers. The development of the "long Neptune" was announced by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in December last year.
The development of the missile was launched in 2014 after the Ukrainian Navy lost its main naval personnel, as well as the Rubezh coastal missile systems as a result of the annexation of Crimea to Russia. In 2016, it was reported about the possible development of three modifications of the Neptune missile system: ship-based, land-based and air-based. Ammunition is produced in cooperation by several Ukrainian companies, including the Kharkiv Aviation Plant and the Motor Sich enterprise, part of the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) international aerospace corporation.
Ukrainian media note that initially these subsonic missiles, developed by the Kiev Luch Design Bureau based on the Soviet X-35 missile, were anti-ship. However, later engineers of the Design Bureau also created a modification capable of hitting ground targets. Ammunition can be launched from ships, aircraft and from land-based launchers. The Armed Forces of Ukraine "Neptune" began to enter service in 2020.
According to open sources, in the existing version, the range of the missile in a modified version for hitting ground targets is 400 kilometers, for sea targets — up to 280 km. LCD-360MC "Neptune" uses mainly Ukrainian components, in particular the engine, inertial navigation system, radar homing head and communication system. The high-explosive warhead of the missile weighs 150 kg. The complex includes: 6 USPU-3604 launchers; RKP-360 command post; 6 TZM-360 transport and loading vehicles with TPK-360 transport and launch containers; 6 TM-360 transport vehicles for transporting additional four containers with R-360 missiles.
Image source: topwar.ru