The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine plans to agree with the State Kyiv Design Bureau “LUCH” on the production of another battalion of Neptune coastal missile system, reports Militarnyi.

This information was announced in an interview with Apostrophe TV channel (Security Talks project) by the company’s CEO Oleg Korostelov.

According to him, the agreement is planned to be signed by the end of 2021.

According to Korostelov, Ukrainian industry is capable of producing three RK-360MTs Neptune battalions and missiles for them annually:

«Moreover, we have already reached production cooperation and interaction. It was necessary to set up certain sites for this production. We are actually “breaking in” the production process now and after that our production of serial samples may increase”.

“LUCH” plans to deliver the first operational battalion to the Ministry of Defense in the first quarter of 2022. The head of the company assured that all works are in line with the schedule.

In January 2021, Militarnyi informed that the Ukrainian Navy had established a missile battalion which will be armed with Neptune, and one more unit was transformed into the missile battalion.

The Commander of the Navy stated that the military unit is preparing to receive the first battalion kit of RK-360MTs Neptune coastal missile system this year.

“We are finishing the first battalion, and I think in the first quarter of next year we will hand over this equipment to the customer,” said Oleg Korostelov.
In other words, the deadlines for delivery of the first missile battalion have been postponed by several months from those announced by the Commander of the Navy, Oleksiy Neizhpapa.

The contract for the production of one battalion was signed by the Ministry of Defense in late 2020.

Currently, one of the units of the Navy is performing experimental operation of the system that includes one launcher and special vehicles on KrAZ chassis.

According to Korostelov, negotiations on foreign orders are currently underway with four countries (one of these is Indonesia).