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Ukraine Builds the Long-Range Cruise Missile Europe Still Can’t Make
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Since the start of the full-scale war, Ukraine has developed two long-range cruise missiles, while the rest of Europe has produced only one comparable system—and it exists solely in a naval version.
According to Defense Express on October 5, the Ukrainian RK-360L, an extended-range modification of the Neptune-D missile, has officially demonstrated characteristics that place it on par with, or even above, the French-made MdCN (Missile de Croisière Naval), also known as NCM (Naval Cruise Missile).
The RK-360L has an operational range of approximately 1,000 kilometers and carries a 260-kilogram warhead. The MdCN, produced by France’s MBDA consortium, offers a similar range and a warhead weighing between 250 and 300 kilograms.
While verified data on their guidance systems remain limited, the French missile is believed to rely on technology derived from the SCALP system. In contrast, the Ukrainian Neptune’s targeting precision has been proven in combat—most recently with strikes on Russian military-industrial facilities deep inside Russia, including the Elektrodetal plant in Karachev.
Unlike the MdCN, which is launched from A70 Sylver vertical naval tubes, the RK-360L is a ground-launched missile capable of being fired from mobile transport-launch containers. This gives Ukraine a practical edge in deploying long-range cruise missiles from land.
France’s MBDA does not expect to have a land-based version of the MdCN, known as the LCM (Land Cruise Missile), ready before 2028.
The MdCN features a traditional cylindrical fuselage without stealth shaping. The RK-360L also lacks a stealth body but uses an X-wing configuration, which slightly increases radar visibility.
Production data for both missiles are classified, though France is believed to have produced roughly 200 MdCN units. Defense Express notes that the Ukrainian missile is likely cheaper and faster to manufacture, given its wartime production context.
Ukraine has also introduced the FP-5 Flamingo, a simpler, rapid-deployment cruise missile developed during the war.
Earlier in June 2025, Ukraine reportedly conducted the first combat use of a new domestically produced ballistic missile, striking a Russian command post nearly 300 kilometers away. The missile carries a 400 kg warhead and is now entering serial production.
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