The UK currently has no plans to purchase the Nightfall ballistic missile being developed for Ukraine. However, this decision may change later this year.
According to UK Defense Journal, these conclusions are drawn from the Ministry of Defense's reply to a parliamentary inquiry. The question asked whether the future system could contribute to Britain's long-range arsenal.
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The UK Ministry of Defense responded that the current priority of the Nightfall project is to provide Ukraine with long-range strike capabilities to counter russian aggression, and that this must be achieved as quickly as possible.
At the same time, the UK's high-precision strike arsenal will also be taken into account. The plan will be implemented within the new Integrated Force structure and the Defense Investment Plan, scheduled for release later this year.
From Defense Express we would like to note that the UK is currently working quickly to meet Ukraine's needs. Meanwhile, for its own forces, the UK appears to be considering more "traditional" approaches.
On the one hand, Nightfall allows the UK to trial its ballistic missile program in Ukraine before adapting it for domestic deployment. This approach will save time and resources while preventing project duplication.
On the other hand, the UK may have its own requirements, such as mobility, platform flexibility, and NATO compatibility. However, as the documents on long-range capabilities are to be finalized this year, Nightfall could also be included.
Currently, Britain relies mainly on Storm Shadow air-launched and Tomahawk sea-launched cruise missiles. New weapons are also being actively developed, but information about them is usually scarce.
The Nightfall project was launched in August 2025, with candidate requirements announced in December 2025 and contracts scheduled for March 2026. The missile must have a range of at least 500 km, carry a 200 kg warhead, and cost around one million dollars each.
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