Long Neptune, Sapsan and Trident: Ukrainian weapons capable of turning the tide of the war
Turning the tide of the war?
In Ukraine, as the fighting continues to rage, new weapons are strengthening Zelensky's military capabilities. Could they be changing the course of the war?
Capabilities increasing year by year
Herman Smetanin, the Ukrainian Minister for Strategic Industries, announced at the beginning of April that Kyiv had increased its missile production eightfold and tripled its weapons production last year, and that new weapons would be deployed to the front this year.
The Ukrainian minister recalled that in 2024, Kyiv had produced "new cruise missiles and rocket-launching drones: Palianytsia, Peklo, Ruta and Bars". "Last year, we had only one cruise missile, the Neptune missile," he noted.
Also according to Smetanin, the Bohdana self-propelled gun has been upgraded: "We have introduced a new version – the towed Bohdana". Finally, Ukraine is currently designing its own Patriot air defence system.
Missiles, drones, helicopters and aircraft can be destroyed
This is the first time Kyiv has presented images of its new laser weapon. While its use on the battlefield is widely known, until now the Ukrainian authorities had never publicly commented on the subject. The first images of what is called the "Trident" were released on Sunday, 13 April by the Ministry of Defence. According to Ukrainian military officials, the laser weapon can combat both ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, aircraft and even helicopters. It is able to blind them at 10km and destroy them at 5km.
The improved Neptune
In March, this formidable new weapon, capable of hitting targets at 1,000 km, targeted Russian oil infrastructure. Its name? The Long Neptune, a cruise missile. Its features? While few details have been released about this missile, we do know that it is an improved version of the R-360 Neptune (another cruise missile). Manufactured in Ukraine, it is capable of hitting targets 1,000 km away, making it possible to strike "military objectives" directly on Russian soil, according to the French media outlet La Dépêche.
A weapon made in Ukraine
With Donald Trump expressing reluctance to supply further weapons to his Ukrainian counterpart, with deliveries always delayed and Ukraine plagued by corruption, Ukrainians must be inventive and create their own weapons. After the Neptune and Long Neptune missiles, they are now working on producing a short-range ballistic missile, the Sapsan, according to the outlet L’Indépendant.
The Sapsan (or "peregrine falcon") is far more powerful than the American ATACMS missile. Mach speed? 5.2 compared with Mach 3 for the ATACMS. It is also capable of carrying a 480kg warhead, compared to 227kg for the ATACMS, highlights the independent Ukrainian newspaper Euromaidan Press.
(MH with Manon Pierre – Source: La Dépêche/L'Indépendant)
