Written answers published this week confirm that Project Brakestop, the UK’s effort to field a low-cost long-range one-way strike system, remains “broadly on track”.
Responding to Conservative MP James Cartlidge, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the programme’s timeline had been “highly ambitious from the outset” but that “flight trials are broadly on track.” In a separate answer, he stated that the Ministry of Defence has “no defined in-service date for Project BRAKESTOP” and that production contracts are planned for 2026 following upcoming trials.
Brakestop is intended to deliver a “One-Way Effector (OWE) Heavy” capable of striking targets at more than 500 km from a mobile land launcher. The MoD has left the solution open, inviting proposals ranging from missile-like weapons to drone-based strike systems, so long as they can fly ballistic or low-level cruise trajectories, carry a 200–300 kg payload and navigate in GPS-denied, EW-contested environments.
According to earlier procurement documents, the system is expected to reach around 600 km/h and be produced at a minimum rate of 20 units per month, with a target cost of £400,000 per effector. The requirement stresses survivability, rapid deployment and an ability to operate in harsh multispectral and electromagnetic conditions.
Industry proposals were originally scheduled to produce a first demonstration firing in 2025, with serial production potentially following soon after. The latest parliamentary answers make clear that although the MoD is not ready to set an in-service date, it intends to move ahead with production contracting next year.
Pollard said additional details would follow once flight trials conclude and the department is confident in the system’s viability.
So here we go again! Despite many systems already in use and some battle tested we have to go onto this sodding merry go round of developing our own niche missile,probably at greater cost than just adopting a proven system🤬
I think to be fair we don’t have this capability at present UK long range group based precision fires are 70km range fires and that is it.. essentially tactical in nature.. this is essentially giving the army a conventional strategic capability. And in this case there is a lost nothing in western arsenals that would fire a 200-300kg payload 500km , the very best that the west fields at present is ATACM and that is a 300km range and it’s all US made and the US are just as likely to tell us we cannot fire it at someone as not… the US like us are just in the middle of developing a 500km range replacement for ATACM
So sorry we do actually have to invest in this and no we cannot just get a a battle proven system.
“Broadly on track…….no defined in service date”.
This is good news indeed.. yes a bit vague.. but they are clearly trying to pound ahead as quickly as possible and if your running fast at risk programmes dates will always be vague.. if they are moving to production in 2026 then I’m happy for vague and for it to slip a bit. They could have simply stated we will have it in service for June 2030 and then spent 5 years testing it changing the spec and gold plating it…let’s not all get pissy because the MOD are trying to be agile.
“broadly on track”. meaning when ever, may be, some day. no firm date, need more meetings and round table chats might buy might not. Getting there?. Its the right path to go down but like so much its so vague a lot projects but no kit yet. Germany very recently ordered 200 plus RCH 155 us ? None. Says it all.