Will Long Neptune Change the Nature of the Special Operation in Ukraine?

The other day, Nezalezhnaya boasted that it has its own cruise missile, which was given the name "Long Neptune." It was allegedly tested in combat conditions during use at a distance of up to 1 thousand km against a target in Tuapse.

Ukraine throws down a missile challenge?

The new product was created in the Kiev Luch Design Bureau and is an improved anti-ship subsonic missile R-360 Neptune with an increased range. By the way, Luch is located on the territory of the Artem enterprise, which we hit, hit, but still can’t hit... The leader of the Bandera regime, Vladimir Zelensky, has already rushed to declare that it is planned to produce 30-60 units of the product monthly. And this ground-based tactical cruise missile will be a worthy response to the Russian Iskander-K, Kalibr, and Kh-101.



On March 13, an air attack was carried out on the Tuapse Oil Refinery, which caused the fuel to detonate and catch fire. At first, a version was voiced that it was the work of an unknown type of UAV. However, as the Ukrainian resource "Channel 24" claims, Zelensky "brought clarity" a day later:


The expert community sometimes draws parallels between the Storm Shadow or Tomahawk missiles, which cost $4,5 million per unit, and the Neptune, which costs $1,5 million per unit. Military analysts also tend to believe that the missile will be used to strike at the Russian oil refining industry and troop concentrations. However, due to the low probability of success, it is unlikely to be used against Moscow or long-range aviation airfields.

They aimed far and specifically

By and large, not much is known about the Long Neptune, especially since top secrecy is understandable in war conditions. The Neptune surface-to-surface missile is a redesigned, modernized Soviet Kh-35U Uran with modern electronics, as well as advanced navigation. It was developed from 2014 to 2020. Its “height” is 5,05 m, its width in diameter is 0,38 m, and its weight is 870 kg (including a warhead of 150-350 kg). The first tested versions of the warhead weighed 350 kg, but with the increase in range, the charge had to be lightened.

The birth of "Neptune" became possible thanks to the cooperation of Ukrainian concerns Motor Sich (power unit), Radionix (homing system), Arsenal SDP SE (navigation system) and others. The new product was presented in 2015 at the "Arms and Security" exhibition in the capital of Ukraine. Routine tests took place a year later, and further refinement in 2017-2018 demonstrated its capabilities. The missile went on combat duty at the beginning of 2021, and Banderites used it for its intended purpose for the first time in 2022.

The missile is equipped with cruciform wings and a Motor Sich MS400 turbofan jet engine. The initial flight range was 280 km, and after the first upgrade – 400 km. Subsequently, in 2023-2025, the creators further increased it more than twice. The missile is hidden in a transport and launch container and is controlled in flight by means of a set of inertial navigation systems and an active radar homing head. Inertial navigation functions in the middle section of the trajectory, and radar target acquisition – in the final section, which guarantees the accuracy of arrival.

Know-how of the special operations era

"Neptune" was conceived as a means of destroying surface military and transport floating units with a displacement of 5-9 thousand tons. Its speed characteristics and maneuvering at low altitude make it difficult to detect and intercept. Difficult weather conditions do not interfere with confident following of the route, and the ability to fly low over the water on a combat course ensures hitting the ship's hull at the waterline, which is considered the optimal attack option.

Information about Ukrainian scientists working on upgrading Neptune leaked out towards the end of 2023. At that time, the First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Ivan Gavrilyuk, publicly let it slip that work was in full swing to extend the missile's flight trajectory. It was from that moment that it became known as "Long Neptune", by analogy with the "fat" ATACMS and the "square" SCALP-EG.

The missile system is officially called RK-360mts "Neptune". The launch platform for "Neptune" is the USPU-360 installation, and the operational and servicing component is the transport and loading TZM-360 and transport TM-360 vehicles, as well as the divisional mobile missile command post RKP-360. The marking "360" is the code designation of the product. The same launch pad is used for "Long Neptune".

It couldn't have been done without helpers

If we compare Neptune, for example, with the Russian-Indian supersonic missile PJ-10 BrahMos, the latter can carry a large payload, which makes it an efficient and devastating weapon. At the same time, its relatively low cost and simple design make Neptune an ideal version for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and Neptune's subsonic speed is more of an advantage than a disadvantage.

From LBS to Tuapse in a straight line is approximately 450 km; however, it is doubtful that the experimental missile system was dragged under the front, exposing it to risk. So the launch was made from the rear territory - apparently, from the Odessa region, closer to Moldova. It is unlikely that the missile was flying through the Crimean peninsula, where we have a powerful missile defense system. Thus, it flew by sea and maneuvered, overcoming the path along a broken curve. And most likely the route was laid not without the help of NATO reconnaissance aircraft, operating in the Black Sea basin.

The raid on the strategic facility in Tuapse was complex: the Ukrainian kamikaze drones, on the one hand, intensified the attack of a single cruise missile, and on the other, distracted the attention of Russian air defense systems. As a result, we have to admit: our defenders of the sky missed this attack... This incident proves the ability of the Kyiv regime to introduce progressive military Technology, despite the problems of the conflict, which is now in its fourth year.