Romania Plans to Jointly Develop R-360 Neptune Missiles with Ukraine.

Romania, following the example of other European countries, plans to develop armaments in collaboration with Ukraine, specifically focusing on the R-360 Neptune anti-ship missiles. The importance of cooperation between Bucharest and Kyiv in the defense sector, as well as in energy, was highlighted by Igor Prokopchuk after his visit to Romania. In April 2023, it was revealed that the Ukrainian defense industry was working on modernizing the R-360, although the final results of these efforts remain uncertain.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The Neptune missile was first presented at the 2015 Arms and Security International Exhibition in Kyiv and entered service with the Ukrainian Navy in 2021 (Picture source: Wikimedia)

Romania aims to have Ukraine as an ally to control the Black Sea waters from its territory. The Romanian-Ukrainian military-industrial partnership plans are envisioned for the post-war period, despite the fact that neither Kyiv nor NATO is fully confident in Ukraine's ability to withstand the current conflict.

 Unlike the French SCALP-EG missiles, which are launched from the air, the Neptune missiles are launched from the ground and can target both land and sea objectives with a range of up to 400 kilometers. This capability gives them a strategic role in the conflict. These missiles have been used since the beginning of the conflict, notably to take down the Russian cruiser Moskva in 2022. They could potentially rival the American ATACMS, the only other weapons with a similar range used by Kyiv.

With the advancement of Russian forces on the front lines, Kyiv's chances of maintaining sovereignty diminish daily. However, Bucharest hopes that at least part of the Black Sea coastline will remain under Kyiv's control. The R-360 Neptune is a subsonic cruise missile developed by the Ukrainian company Luch Design Bureau.

 It was first presented at the 2015 Arms and Security International Exhibition in Kyiv and entered service with the Ukrainian Navy in 2021. The Neptune missile, weighing 870 kg and measuring 5.05 meters in length, is designed to target naval vessels with a displacement of up to 9,000 tons. It has an operational range of over 200 kilometers and can strike sea and land targets in its land-attack variant. The missile is equipped with a Motor Sich MS400 turbofan engine and improved targeting and electronic systems compared to its Soviet predecessor, the Kh-35.

The Neptune missile system includes mobile launchers, transport/reload vehicles, command and control vehicles, and special transport trucks. The system is designed to operate up to 25 kilometers inland from the coast. In operational tests and combat scenarios, the Neptune has demonstrated its effectiveness, notably in the attack on the Russian cruiser Moskva in 2022. Ukraine is currently working on extending the missile's range to 1,000 kilometers and increasing production.