The Ministry of Defence has set out new details on its Nightfall deep-strike missile programme for Ukraine, confirming development contracts will be awarded this spring, with production expected to begin in late 2027.
In written answers to Parliament, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the MOD is moving toward awarding multiple development contracts as part of a rapid competition process, with a strong emphasis on UK industrial involvement.
Responding to questions on domestic manufacturing, Pollard said “the Department aims to maximise the UK industrial content of these development contract(s)”, though he added that exact proportions cannot yet be confirmed.
According to the answers, the deadline for industry proposals is 9 February 2026, with three teams expected to each receive a £9 million development contract in March. Each team will be required to “design, develop and deliver their first three missiles within 12 months for test firings.”
Following successful testing, the MOD plans to move quickly into production. Pollard told MPs that “we plan to place a 2-year production contract, with the first deliveries of Nightfall to Ukraine to start in late 2027.” Output is expected to increase rapidly, with production “ramp[ing] up to a rate of at least 10 missiles per month.”
The minister confirmed that this late-2027 delivery window also represents the effective in-service date for the new capability, stating that “we envision the first deliveries of Nightfall to Ukraine to start in late 2027.”
The Nightfall programme was announced earlier this month as a UK-led effort to provide Ukraine with a domestically developed deep-strike ballistic missile, intended to support long-range precision fires against high-value targets. The structure of the programme, with parallel industry teams and early test firings, reflects lessons drawn from recent accelerated procurement efforts linked to the war in Ukraine.
It’s immensely impressive that the UK has developed a tactical ballistic missile in just a coupe of yers even though it’s has no experience in developing such weapons.
We should take note and apply this to a UK MMRB program and SLBM. This shows the technology of ballistic missiles is pretty easy to do. It is 1960’s tech and nations like Iran and North Korea can do it so it should be pretty straight forward for us.
MRBM*
Well we can build most things if we wanted. We just don’t. Sure we don’t need to rely on the Americans for our Trident nuclear deterrent but it’s just easier. But is it smart that is the question. I hope this leads to more sovereign capabilities.
We still have the ability to knock things up out of nowhere when needed, Ukraine has really proved that. Terrahawk AAA based on the RNs DS30 mount with an off the shelf optical sensor and radar, ASRAAM based mobile SAM using old rails off of decommissioned Harriers, Tornadoes and Hawks, Flamingo cruise missile may have been heavily supported by us if ykyk and a ballistic missile from scratch in just a few years.
Everything we are involved in gives up experience and expands the skill set of our industry. People here get grouchy because they cant look past the numbers game but all of this will eventually pay off for us.
Beyond the Ukraine war, I believe this will mean the UK is the only western manufacturer of tactical and short range ballistic missiles.. and from there we could easily move to long range ballistic missiles.. not a bad sovereign capability to have.. I bet there is actually going to be a widening market for tactical and short range systems.. I could imagine Poland and the Baltic states snapping our arms off for a range of cheap plentiful accurate ballistic missiles in the 600-2000km range band.. it the a great conventional strategic deterrent for them.. I could see Japan, Korea, Taiwan and a host of Middle Eastern countries wanting some as well..turkey Germany… so many possibilities for customers.. because one thing the Russian Ukraine war has shown is not having conventional strategic deterrent and weapons is a none starter and ballistic missiles are still the hardest to counter…
Nightfall sounds very 007