MBDA and Ukraine strike deal to upgrade Neptune missile and develop Neptune-2
According to MBDA, the agreement focuses on the continued development of the Neptune missile program.
MBDA noted that it possesses the technology, expertise, and industrial partnerships needed to deliver European-developed deep-strike systems and technologies to partner nations, "enabling our armed forces to defend our values and freedoms."
MBDA also praised Luch's expertise in advanced weapons development, including:
The memorandum was signed during the Eurosatory 2026 international defense exhibition in Paris.
What is the Neptune missile?
The R-360 Neptune is a Ukrainian cruise missile derived from the Soviet-era Kh-35 Zvezda. It features a greater range and modernized electronics. Luch began work on the system after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
The Neptune missile is 5.05 meters long and weighs 870 kilograms. It can strike ships with a displacement of up to 5,000 tons at ranges of up to 280 kilometers. A 2023 upgrade expanded its capabilities, allowing it to hit both naval and land targets.
The Neptune D system uses RK-360L cruise missiles. These missiles have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and carry a 260-kilogram warhead. They are designed to engage both ground and maritime targets.
Ukraine's work on a "Long Neptune" first became public in late 2023, when Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk revealed that a new version of the Neptune missile was under development. The upgraded weapon soon became unofficially known as the Long Neptune.
In late 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi confirmed that Ukraine had begun using the modernized Long Neptune missile.
In August 2025, the state-run Weapons Portal appeared to publish the first image of the long-range variant of the Ukrainian cruise missile, which had previously been known only by its unofficial name.
The Neptune missile gained worldwide attention on the night of April 14, 2022, when two Neptune missiles struck and severely damaged the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. The attack was carried out using two missiles from the Neptune system.
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19 of June 2026
