The Ministry of Defence has revealed plans for a new long-range strike weapon under the codename Project Brakestop, which aims to produce a minimum of 20 units per month.
According to a Prior Information Notice published on 25 September 2024, this one-way attack system will be capable of targeting enemy assets from over 500km away and operating in high-threat tactical environments.
The system, referred to in the notice as a One-Way Effector (OWE) Heavy, is designed to strike targets accurately while navigating through a GNSS-denied environment and withstanding electromagnetic warfare.
The Ministry of Defence has not confirmed whether this will be a missile, drone, or another form of delivery system, but the emphasis is placed on flexibility and adaptability.
“The User requires a cost-effective, long-range (500km) One Way Effector Heavy, capable of being safely ground launched from a mobile platform in a high-threat tactical environment,” states the notice.
According to the MoD’s outline, the system is expected to:
– Deliver a 200-300kg payload (similar to the Mk 82 bomb) over a 600km range.
– Achieve speeds of around 600km/h.
– Be launched safely from a mobile platform in a high-threat environment, with reduced detection probability.
– Operate via either a ballistic trajectory or low-level cruise mode.
– Navigate in a GNSS-denied environment with targeted end-stage guidance.
The MoD places a strong emphasis on the system’s ability to survive in complex environments. The OWE Heavy must operate under conditions that involve electromagnetic environments, all while remaining resistant to EW attacks and spoofing. This ensures its effectiveness in modern warfare scenarios where such measures are increasingly prevalent.
The Ministry of Defence has laid out requirements for the system to be scalable in its production, capable of delivering at least 20 units per month, with the potential for further expansion if needed. “Manufacturing shall be scalable to meet requirements at a minimum of 20 units-per-month, with the ability to further increase,” the MoD specifies.
This scalability focuses on delivering results quickly, with the MoD prioritising efficient production over intricate design details, in order to meet the growing need for rapid deployment.
While the exact nature of the delivery system is not confirmed, the project allows for flexibility. Whether a missile, drone, or another technology, the system must operate efficiently under a range of conditions. “This can be done via (ballistic or low-level cruise) and could use a missile a drone or another technology to deliver effect,” the notice explains.
This flexibility extends to the system’s ability to launch from mobile platforms, providing an adaptable response to the modern battlefield’s changing needs.
As part of the development process, the Ministry of Defence will hold an industry day on 9 October 2024 in London. This event is designed to allow industry participants to showcase their potential solutions to different aspects of the project, including propulsion systems, navigation, targeting, and launcher systems.
Project Brakestop is operating on an ambitious timeline, aiming for a demonstration firing by Q3 2025 and potential serial production from Q4 2025. “There is an aggressive timeline of a demonstration firing in Q2 2025 and, subject to contract, potential serial production from Q3 2025, producing a minimum around 20 platforms per month.”
Not to build 20 a month, not even designed them yet or ordered them. 1 more item on the magic roundabout fairy tale wish list that we never happen.
Didn’t the Germans Build something like this during WW11 named it V something where the Engine stopped and then it glided to the city of London
Doodlebug.
The engine only stopped before it dropped down indiscriminately. It flew to London in its own power.
One of them just missed my Nanny.
Didn’t have a Nanny in the Summer of 1944 but acted as the “V1 Street Lookout” during the School Holidays. Majority of V1s landed in and around the then Surrey , Borough of Croydon, not the City of London. Our house was damaged by a near miss but “only lightly”. Now, should we/could we rearm our vintage Spitfires as an anti Cruise Missile force? Perhaps only the Griffon engined ones? Don’t seem to have much else’ in the ready locker’.
Yes. My Grandmother, who all us grandkids called “Nanny” was in New Malden. My Grandad was away as a steel engineer at Farnborough, Portsmouth, and other places I know not. I’m gutted I never asked him.
Nanny always talked to us of the V1s.
I had a nan, as well not a granny, my wife had a granny because according to her family nannies are paid for…funny the differences within British culture.
Morning J.
Yes, I’ve pondered that before myself.
I was sad to learn after my Nanny died that she’d always wanted to be called Grandma. But all us grandkids called her Nanny so that stuck.
A V2 hit Gravesend in Kent towards the end of the war. This particular missile was believed to have been sabotaged and was a dud. For years it’s engine was on display at the entrance to the Canal Gardens and you could climb up onto it and have your picture taken The Luftwaffe also dropped “air mines” over dockyards like Chatham, these came down on parachutes with a 500kg payload. One dropped on Rochester during the Blitz and blew up about 150yards high, turning the Rochester Delce residential area into a huge crater. My nan was in an Anderson shelter… Read more »
The Air mines were literally naval mines dropped on land targets.
Morning mate.
No stopping the V2 at that time. The V1s at least could be caught and tipped off course.
Scuse my ignorance but, apart from calling it a drone, how does this differ from a sub-sonic cruise missile, in this context? To me, drones are low cost, typically deployable by a single operator and typically with a video guidance system.
Should we not be sending these to Ukraine early next year so they can test them out in real scenarios and make sure they work, then any adjustments can be made before we start full production?
If they are going to produce 20 a month I would imagine that is where a fair few will end up.
The ‘either or’ capability wish list will add complexity and unit cost. Surely better to buy 10 ballistic style per month and 10 cruise style per month. Each optimised for it’s role. Rocket v jet ?
I would imagine it’s not that they are looking for both ballistic and cruise, it’s more they are not settled on either…so whatever comes out best. If they wanted both they would have said with a ballistic and cruise profile.
That’s my take. They specify a required effect. It’s up to industry to put forward proposals to meet that requirement. It can’t hurt that there are effectively open warfare lab experiments ongoing around the world at present, especially in Ukraine and the Persian Gulf, constantly under intense scrutiny, with lessons learned every week, I would think..
An updated version of the V1 would be cheap and easy to manufacture for Ukraine.
Build them and bank them., they’ll be use of use sometime in the next 20 years definately.
And Build them cheap. The Russians and Iranians can throw huge numbers of theirs down range as they are cheap.
George,I trust you remembered to secure copywright of that missile image from Dan Dare!