Ukraine creates a long-range Neptune missile and increases weapons production

Ukraine is developing a new modification of the Ukrainian anti-ship cruise missile Neptune, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister, told in an interview with ArmyInform.

“Currently, work is underway to create the so-called ‘Long Neptune. This is a new modification of the missile for the Neptune complex,” Havryliuk said.

The Lieutenant General did not provide any further details but also said that active work is underway with the Ministry of Strategic Industries to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense system.

“It’s obvious what’s happening – and it’s obvious because it’s happened before, when other countries enhanced their cruise missiles by making them longer. In extending the 17-foot Neptune and filling the extra space with additional fuel for the missile’s turbofan engine, Ukraine could add a lot to its approximately 200-mile range,” says Forbes’s military observer David Axe.

Currently, the missile has a range of up to 280 kilometers. Modifying the projectile’s size will increase the weapon’s radius to more than 320 kilometers, the journalist suggests; the Neptune will be able to hit targets not only throughout the occupied Crimea but also in the adjacent territories of Russia.

Neptune anti-ship missiles hit the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva, in the Black Sea on the evening of April 13, 2022. After the attack, the cruiser caught fire and eventually sank. 

At the same time, Ukraine is also working on producing other weapons. In particular, Kyiv is currently building six Bohdana self-propelled artillery systems per month and plans to increase production, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“For the first time, we have reached the number of six Bohdana howitzers per month. And we already see how to increase it further,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian self-propelled artillery system 2S22 Bohdana is a joint development of the Kramatorsk Heavy Duty Machine Tool Building Plant and Ukrainian Armor company. The howitzer is the first Ukrainian self-propelled artillery system designed for the NATO-standard 155 mm caliber. Last year, Bohdana received its baptism of fire in the battle for the then Russian-occupied Zmiinyi (Snake) Island.