The United Kingdom has significantly advanced its efforts to provide Ukraine with new long-range strike capabilities, with three British-designed weapon systems successfully completing
flight tests less than two years after the programme was launched.
The milestone marks a major step forward for Project Brakestop, a Ministry of Defence initiative aimed at rapidly developing affordable, ground-launched weapons capable of striking targets more than 500 kilometres away.
Launched in November 2024 by the MOD’s Taskforce Kindred, the programme challenged British industry to design a weapon capable of carrying a 225kg warhead, travelling at speeds exceeding 600km/h, and being produced at scale at a target cost of around £400,000 per unit, excluding the warhead.
Following the successful tests, three companies have secured follow-on contracts worth approximately £15 million each to continue development. The project is being hailed as an example of how the UK defence sector can rapidly deliver advanced military technology in response to battlefield requirements.
A total of 27 companies initially entered the competition. After technical evaluations and competitive presentations in early 2025, six British firms were awarded prototype development contracts valued at around £5 million each. Within seven months, the companies had designed and built systems ready for testing.
The three finalists progressing to flight trials were MBDA UK, manufacturer of the Storm Shadow missile; engineering specialist MGI Engineering, whose first defence contract came through Project Brakestop; and aerospace firm Rotron Aerospace, a long-standing supplier to the MOD.
Flight testing took place at the MOD Hebrides Range in Scotland, a specialist military trials facility managed by QinetiQ.
Armed Forces Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said the programme demonstrated both the UK's commitment to supporting Ukraine and the strength of British innovation.
“The UK stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine, and we will continue to provide the support it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression,” she said.
She added that Project Brakestop had taken “an ambitious concept from the drawing board to flight testing” in less than a year, showcasing Britain's ability to respond quickly to the demands of modern warfare.
The announcement comes amid a broader package of UK support for Ukraine. During the recent G7 summit, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an additional £210 million in UK Export Finance support for Ukraine’s nuclear energy sector, while the government also imposed 70 new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow fleet and military supply networks.
Defence Secretary John Healey separately confirmed that Britain would provide 150,000 Ukrainian-produced drones and more than 350 air-defence missiles and radar systems funded through the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration loan programme.
Project Brakestop’s warhead has already been successfully developed and tested by another UK company, demonstrating the destructive capability intended for the new weapons.
The programme has now entered its second phase, with participating companies tasked with producing 15 upgraded systems each, alongside launchers and support vehicles. Additional testing is scheduled in the UK before overseas trials, including evaluations in Ukraine.
The project has been delivered through a joint MOD effort involving National Armaments, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the Air and Space Warfare Centre, 744 Naval Air Squadron, 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, Taskforce Kindred and QinetiQ.
Officials say the programme highlights the UK defence industry's ability to move from concept to operational testing at unprecedented speed, potentially providing Ukraine with a new long-range strike option in the coming years. Photo by Noobuster007, Wikimedia commons.
