May become ATCMS competitors: Romania and Ukraine plan to launch joint production of missiles

Romania and Ukraine plan to develop cooperation in the field of armaments, focusing on the modernization and production of anti-ship missiles R-360 Neptune. About this informs Army Recognition edition.

The Ukrainian defense industry began work on the improvement of the R-360 missiles as early as April 2023, although the final results of these efforts have not yet been determined. The Romanian-Ukrainian military-industrial partnership envisages the implementation of joint projects after the end of the war.

P-360 Neptune missiles, unlike the French SCALP-EG, are launched from the ground and can hit both land and sea targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers. This ability makes them an important element in military conflicts. Neptune missiles have already demonstrated their effectiveness, in particular, during the destruction of the Russian cruiser “Moskva” in 2022. They can become an alternative to American ATACMS missiles, which are also used by Ukraine.

According to the publication, Bucharest hopes that part of the Black Sea coast will remain under the control of Ukraine, which will ensure stability in the region.

The Neptune missile is a supersonic cruise missile developed by the Ukrainian enterprise KB Luch. It was presented for the first time at the international exhibition “Weapons and Security” in Kyiv in 2015, and in 2021 it entered service with the Naval Forces of Ukraine. The rocket weighs 870 kg and is 5.05 meters long. It is designed to destroy ships with a displacement of up to 9,000 tons and has a range of over 200 kilometers. The missile is equipped with a Motor Sich MS400 turbofan engine and advanced guidance systems and radio-electronic systems.