MBDA to Help Ukraine Develop New Neptune-2 Cruise Missile

European defense company MBDA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine’s LUCH Design Bureau to jointly develop the new Neptune-2 cruise missile.

The agreement, announced by MBDA on June 16, focuses on advancing Ukraine’s Neptune missile program and enhancing its long-range strike capabilities.

According to MBDA, the partnership will introduce innovative technologies to improve the missile’s deep-strike performance while strengthening strategic defense cooperation between Ukraine and Europe.

“LUCH Design Bureau and MBDA will work together to develop the next-generation Neptune-2, incorporating breakthrough innovations to expand its deep-strike capabilities,” the company said.

MBDA added that it brings the technology, expertise, and international partnerships needed to develop and field advanced missile systems.

MBDA noted that the Ukrainian state-owned LUCH Design Bureau has extensive experience in the design, development, integration, and production of advanced weapon systems.

The bureau is best known as the developer and manufacturer of the Neptune cruise missile family, which Ukraine’s Defense Forces use in various configurations to strike Russian targets.

The Neptune was originally designed as an anti-ship missile. It is widely reported that Neptune missiles were responsible for the sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva.

The missile was later adapted into several versions capable of striking land targets. Among them is the so-called “Long Neptune”, an extended-range version featuring a larger fuel capacity. To accommodate the additional fuel, the missile’s fuselage diameter and overall length were increased, resulting in a significantly greater operational range.

The Long Neptune carries a 260 kg warhead, which is 110 kg heavier than the warhead of the original Neptune anti-ship missile. Its range has increased dramatically, reaching up to 1,000 km in the Neptune-D land-attack version, compared with 280 km for the anti-ship variant. The missile is also larger than the original model. It is 6 meters long (excluding the booster) and has a 50 cm body diameter.

In 2023, a Ukrainian defense official stated that the Long Neptune remains compatible with the same launch systems used for the original Neptune anti-ship missile, allowing it to be deployed without major changes to existing launchers.

MBDA, meanwhile, is the manufacturer of the Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG cruise missiles, both of which have been used by Ukrainian aircraft against Russian targets. These missiles have been supplied to Ukraine through international military aid packages.