UK to Develop 500 km Range Ballistic Missile for Ukraine

The British government has officially announced the development of a new ballistic missile designed specifically for the needs of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

The project aims to enable Ukraine to conduct precise strikes at distances of up to 500 km, crippling enemy logistics hubs and command centers deep behind their front lines.

A key feature of the missile, named Nightfall, is its ability to withstand electronic warfare. It is being designed to function even when the enemy is actively jamming GPS and other satellite signals.

The missile will carry a 200-kilogram high-explosive warhead and is expected to be highly accurate, with a target deviation of no more than 5 meters.

The missile will be launched from mobile platforms capable of firing multiple missiles in quick succession and then relocating within minutes to avoid return fire.

The UK Ministry of Defence has set ambitious timelines for the developers. By March 2026, three engineering teams will be selected, each receiving £9 million to create the first three prototypes.

“The Nightfall project focuses on rapid prototyping, spiral development, resilience against electronic warfare, and the ability to quickly scale production,” said John Healey, the UK Minister of Defence.

Test launches are expected to take place over the next 12 months. This approach is known as “rapid prototyping.”

In addition to its impressive technical specifications, the target cost of one missile should not exceed £800,000 (around 1 million dollars), and production must reach at least 10 missiles per month to meet the needs of both the UK Armed Forces and Ukraine.

Militarnyi previously reported that the UK Ministry of Defence has officially continued its work on developing a new tactical ballistic missile under the Nightfall project.

Previously, in November, the British defence ministry announced that it was reviewing responses from industry to an initial request for information about this system.

Defence Minister Luke Pollard stated in Parliament that a competition for the implementation of the project is expected to be announced by the end of the year.