The first battalion of “Neptune” coastal missile system will be delivered by April 2022 – Neizhpapa

The first battalion of “Neptune” coastal anti-ship system will be delivered to the Ukrainian Navy until April 2022.

The Commander of the Ukrainian Navy said this on the air of the TV channel of the MOD of Ukraine “Breeze.”

The contract for the production of which the Ministry of Defense signed with the State Kyiv Design Bureau “LUCH” at the end of 2020.

Financing of the purchase of the Neptune RK-360MTs system for the 2021 year amounted to 720, 164,6 thousand UAH, which at February’s exchange rate is $ 25.9 million.

The missile system includes unified launchers, transport-charging vehicle, transport vehicle and a mobile command post.

The first launches of the R-360 missile were carried out in January 2018, and its development in June 2013 was mentioned by the then Minister of Defense Pavel Liebedev in the context of the combustion program for the creation of the «Sapsan» system.

As he then said that another enterprise “issued an alternative missile and could in a few years develop a prototype” and clarified that the alternative development belongs to the “Luch” Design Bureau.”

The Armed Forces of Ukraine adopted the coastal missile system RK-360MTs «Neptune» on August 23, 2020.

After this, it became known about the completion of cooperation in the development with the Ukrainian manufacturer of JSC “AvtoKrAZ” and transition to the chassis of the TATRA brand.

The Neptune system is equipped with R-360 missiles that fly at extremely low altitudes at a range of about 300 km. The missile has solid-fuel booster and jet (main) engines.

The first is a modified solid-fuel booster from an S-125 anti-aircraft missile. The main МС-400 turbo-jet engine  produced by “Motor Sich”.

In an interview with the Apostrophe TV channel (Security Talks Project), Oleg Korostelev, General Director of the State Kyiv Design Bureau “Luch” told that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine plans to order another battalion of the “Neptune” coastal missile system.