Ukraine uses modernized Neptune anti-ship missiles to hit land targets – Newsweek

According to Western experts, Ukraine used a modernized version of its missile to attack Crimea.

In an interview with The War Zone, an anonymous representative of the Ukrainian defense ministry said that the attack was carried out by an updated Neptune missile.

Ian Williams, deputy director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, believes that for ground missions, it would be ideal not to use anti-ship missiles designed to sink heavily armored warships at sea.

But since Ukraine does not have access to systems such as the American ATACMS tactical ballistic missile system or the German Taurus long-range cruise missile system, it is forced to use its own missiles.

Williams believes that Ukraine is using what is available for long-range attacks, but this is not a long-term solution for such operations.

Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, pointed out that the strike on Cape Tarkhankut in western Crimea “proved that Ukraine can use Neptune to attack on the ground and thus threaten Russian targets in previously secure rear areas.”

It could also hint that Neptune could use countermeasures against detection, or be used in conjunction with jamming equipment, he continued.

This conclusion points to a complex coordination of Ukrainian military capabilities, but there are many unknown factors. One of the possible differences between the ground-based version of Neptune and the anti-ship version may be the guidance system.

As for the number of Neptunes at Ukraine’s disposal, it is difficult for experts to estimate, but it is unlikely to be a large arsenal. In peacetime, this type of weapon is difficult to mass-produce, and Russia has made great efforts to hit the Ukrainian military-industrial base.