The United Kingdom has successfully tested new long-range strike systems destined for Ukraine under a programme known as “Project Brakestop,” the Financial Times reports.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the government has unveiled three missile prototypes, developed by MBDA UK, MGI Engineering and Rotron Aerospace, all of which passed their trials successfully this spring. The systems, able to strike targets more than 480 km away, were tested at a range in the Hebrides, with further trials planned in the UK over the coming months.
The defining feature of the project is its complete independence from the American defence industry. All the missiles were deliberately built without US components, so Britain retains full sovereign control over their export and use by Ukraine, with no American veto over targets or timelines. A key condition was that the systems be free of ITAR, the US rules governing defence exports.
Louise Sandher-Jones, the new Armed Forces minister, said the weapons would “complement” others such as Storm Shadow, which let Ukraine strike deep into Russia but cost more. She added that the UK “stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine” and would keep providing the support it needs.
Per The Telegraph, the missiles carry a 250 kg warhead and can travel up to 482 km. The MoD’s brief was demanding: a speed above 600 km/h, a unit cost of around £400,000, and production of at least 20 a month. For comparison, the Brakestop warhead is designed for 225 kg versus 450 kg for Storm Shadow, making it markedly cheaper and faster to build.
Each firm took a different route: MBDA UK uses a proprietary visual-navigation system with no US components for its Crossbow missile; MGI Engineering draws on Formula 1-derived technologies, including advanced composites; and Rotron Aerospace unveiled a propeller-driven variant designed for greater range at lower speed.
Development began in November 2024, after the US blocked supplies of long-range missiles such as American ATACMS and British Storm Shadow to Ukraine over escalation fears. A second phase is now under way, with firms awarded roughly £15 million in follow-on contracts to refine 15 improved effectors each, plus launchers and support vehicles. After further tests this year, one or more missiles is expected to reach Kyiv by the end of 2026.
