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Ukraine Ordered A First Batch Of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems

Ukraine Ordered A First Batch Of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems

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Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and LUCH Design Bureau on December 30 signed a contract for the delivery of a first batch of RK-360MT Neptune mobile anti-ship missiles. First deliveries will take place in 2021

According to the contract, the Ukrainian MoD will receive enough missiles and command and control, mobile launcher, reloader and transport vehicles to equip a first division. The Neptune missile system was formally adopted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on August 23, 2020.

Read more: Ukrainian army awards contract to KB LUCH for ship-killing missiles
Ukraine Ordered A First Batch Of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems, Defense Express
The Neptune missile system on the move

Neptune anti-ship system is equipped with cruise missiles capable of reaching target at distance of up to 300 km. The rocket is powered by starting and main engines. The MS-400 main turbojet engine is manufactured in Ukraine by Motor Sich.

Ukraine Ordered A First Batch Of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems, Defense Express
Neptune anti-ship system is equipped with cruise missiles capable of reaching target at distance of up to 300 km

The homing head for the missile, “which has ultra-high viewing angles and is able to detect and capture the target at a distance of up to 50 km“, was developed by the Ukrainian company Radionics.

Ukraine Ordered A First Batch Of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems, Defense Express
The homing head for the missile was developed by the Ukrainian company Radionics

According to open sources, one complete Neptune division should normally include six USPU-360 launchers with 24 R-360 anti-ship missiles, and the corresponding number (six of each) of reloader vehicles (TZM-360) and transport vehicles (TM-360).

The R-360 missile weighs 870 kg; the weight of its warhead is 150 kg; its launch range is up to 280 km and its speed is about 900 km/h. It is able to get at a height of from 3 m to 10 m above the surface. The complex can simultaneously launch up to 24 missiles, i.e. a full salvo of 6 launchers, with an interval of launches in a salvo being from 3 to 5 seconds.

Ukraine Ordered A First Batch Of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems, Defense Express
The Neptune missile system includs 4 types of specialized vehicles: RKP-360 mobile command post, USPU-360 luncher, transport vehicleTM-360 and reloader vehicle TZM-360
Read more: Neptune ASCM project approaching its final lap