The United Kingdom is moving forward with a program to build a new generation of low-cost, long-range weapons for Ukraine designed to operate without U.S. components or American data, according to defence officials familiar with the plans.
The effort, named Project Brakestop and initiated in late 2024, has been accelerated to provide additional support for Kyiv in its conflict with Russia. Three British-designed systems - produced by MBDA, MGI Engineering, and Rotron Aerospace - have been selected as finalists and are scheduled to undergo testing in both the UK and Ukraine over the coming months.
Officials involved with the programme said the systems are intended to be ready for use on the battlefield within about a year if testing proceeds as planned. The UK government has set specific technical and cost targets for the effort: each weapon should be ground-launched, carry a warhead of at least 225 kilograms, and strike targets at distances beyond 500 kilometres.
Cost targets are a major driver of the project. Officials said the new weapons are expected to cost roughly half as much as the Storm Shadow cruise missile, which Ukraine has used for long-range strikes. The UK government is targeting a price of about £400,000 per weapon, excluding the warhead.
While the new systems are not anticipated to match the bunker-busting capability or the precision associated with Storm Shadow missiles, defence officials said they would still be capable of delivering significant damage to designated targets. A further operational constraint is that the systems must not contain U.S.-made components or depend on American data, allowing them to operate independently of Washington.
The stipulation reflects growing concern among some European governments about dependence on U.S. military technology as the current U.S. administration re-examines America's security commitments on the continent. The defence policy debate was highlighted when U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a six-month review of the U.S. military presence in Europe, a development officials say has increased worries that American support could be scaled back.
On production, each of the three finalists told officials they expect to be able to manufacture at least 40 units per month within several months of receiving production orders. Even if a company does not win the final contract, officials anticipate those firms will seek to market their systems directly to Ukraine and to other European countries.
Context and timeline
Project Brakestop began in late 2024 and has been sped up to align with urgent battlefield needs. Testing in the UK and Ukraine is planned in the near term, with deployment a target within one year.
Technical and cost goals
- Ground-launched weapons with range greater than 500 kilometres.
- Minimum warhead size of 225 kilograms.
- Target unit cost of about £400,000 each, excluding warhead.
- Production capacity of at least 40 units per month per finalist after orders are placed.