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.
