The coastal missile system "Neptune" is one of the crown jewels of Ukraine’s missile program. It is a long-range weapon that has already enabled several high-profile strikes on Russian military targets, both at sea and on land.
The system was developed for the control of territorial waters and strait zones, the protection of naval bases, other coastal facilities, and coastal infrastructure. It was intended for use in defending the shoreline in areas at risk of enemy amphibious landings and for striking enemy warships such as cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, and landing ships.
The world first began speaking about Ukrainian cruise missiles in earnest following their successful strikes on key targets of the Russian navy. The first known combat use of "Neptune" was the attack on the frigate Admiral Essen in early April 2022. Then, on April 13, 2022, two anti-ship missiles successfully struck the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the cruiser Moskva, which subsequently sank in the Black Sea.
It has been proven that Ukraine’s domestically developed cruise missiles can be used in both simple and complex weather conditions, at any time of day, and even under intense enemy fire and electronic countermeasures.
The project was launched by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense in 2013 to strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian Navy. In 2020, the Ministry of Defense officially adopted the system into service, and it has since proven itself in real combat.
The complex includes standardized launchers, transport and loading vehicles, transport vehicles, and a mobile command post.
As of today, there is official information confirming a large number of enemy targets hit by cruise missiles developed by Ukraine’s defense industry. Thanks to ongoing development and modernization, these missiles can now target not only sea-based but also land-based objectives. Notably, Russian air defense systems and military infrastructure deep in the enemy’s rear have been destroyed.
The Department for Missile Armament Development and Missile Defense Systems of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, together with the Main Directorate for Missile Program Support, is actively working on the future development of missile weapons. Their focus is on maximizing the use of existing developments to increase the range of cruise missile strikes and expand the platforms capable of launching them.
