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Draft:Project Brakestop

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Project Brakestop is an initiative of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) initiative to develop low-cost, long-range, ground-launched strike missiles for Ukraine, intended to be a cheaper complement to existing cruise missiles such as the Storm Shadow.[1][2][3] The programme was launched in November 2024 by Taskforce Kindred to deliver new capabilities within months.[1][4] A competition was set to build suitable weapons to hit targets beyond 500 kilometres (310 mi), carry a 225-kilogram (496 lb) warhead, travel faster than 600 kilometres per hour (370 mph), and cost around £400,000 per unit, excluding the warhead.[1][4][3] Twenty-seven bids were received, and six firms received initial contracts of about £5,000,000 each to build prototypes within seven months.[1][2][3] By December 2025, three suppliers progressed to flight testing at MOD Hebrides: MBDA UK, MGI Engineering, and Rotron Aerospace.[1][4][3] Each received follow-on contracts of around £15,000,000 to refine designs and produce 15 improved effectors with launchers and support vehicles.[1][5][3] A key requirement was that the systems contain no US components, avoiding International Traffic in Arms Regulations and enabling sovereign UK control over export and use.[2][6][3] Officials stated that one or more of the missiles were expected to be delivered to Ukraine by the end of 2026.[4]

References

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Works cited

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  • Allison, George (22 June 2026). "UK rushes new long-range strike weapons for Ukraine". UK Defence Journal. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
  • Brown, Larisa (20 June 2026). "UK firms design cheaper alternatives to Storm Shadow missile". The Times. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
  • Clover, Charles; Pfeifer, Sylvia (19 June 2026). "UK unveils prototype missiles for Ukraine with no US components". Financial Times. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
  • Coles, Isabel (21 June 2026). "UK defence companies to supply Ukraine with new long-range missiles". The Observer. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
  • Cotterill, Tom (20 June 2026). "Britain tests long-range missiles to help Ukraine bomb Moscow". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 September 2026.
  • Wingate, Sophie (19 June 2026). "New UK long-range strike weapons could be sent to Ukraine within a year". The Independent. Retrieved 15 September 2026.