UK Tests Long-Range Missiles That Could Be Supplied to Ukraine

Britain has tested new long-range weapons that could soon be delivered to Ukraine, potentially enabling Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russian territory, Tom Cotterill reported for The Telegraph.

MBDA UK, manufacturer of the Storm Shadow missile; was one of the companies awarded a contract,  (Photo: Rept0n1x, Wikimedia Commons)

The weapons, capable of attacking targets more than 300 miles away, have been tested at a range in the Hebrides.

Additional trials are scheduled to take place across the United Kingdom in the coming months.

The experimental platforms, each carrying a 250-kilogram warhead, could potentially reach Moscow, which came under intense Ukrainian drone bombardment earlier this week.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) challenged companies to develop long-range strike weapons capable of flying at speeds exceeding 370 mph, costing about £400,000 each, and being produced at a rate of 20 units per month.

Six British firms were awarded contracts worth approximately £5 million each to design prototypes for testing within seven months.

By last December, only three suppliers remained: MBDA UK, manufacturer of the Storm Shadow missile; MGI Engineering, a British small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) with roots in Formula One technology; and Rotron Aerospace, another SME with extensive experience working with the MoD.

The second phase of Project Brakestop is now under way, with participating companies receiving follow-on contracts worth approximately £15 million for further development. British officials hope to deliver the first systems to Ukraine within a year.