The R-360 Neptune is a Ukrainian truck-launched cruise missile family developed by State Kyiv Design Bureau Luch for coastal anti-ship defense and later adapted for land attack. In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War it moved from Black Sea anti-ship strikes, including Moskva, into Ukraine's domestic long-range precision-strike campaign through Neptune-D / Long Neptune variants reported with a 1,000 km reach.
Ukrainian forces used the Neptune family in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War for Black Sea anti-ship and coastal-strike missions, including the Moskva attack assessed by U.S. officials, strikes on Russian air-defense and industrial targets, and later Long Neptune / domestic Neptune attacks reported against deeper Russian military infrastructure.
Role detailsThe entry covers the public Neptune family: the baseline RK-360MC / R-360 coastal anti-ship system and later long-range land-attack Neptune-D / RK360L reporting.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| R-360 / RK-360MC Neptune | Baseline coastal anti-ship configuration | Luch describes the 360MC system as a land-based anti-ship missile complex using R-360 missiles against ships and coastal radio-contrast targets, with a 300 km maximum range listed for the missile. Sources: 360MC Neptune Missile System, Successful Tests of the Neptune Cruise Missile System Were Held |
| Neptune-D / RK360L Long Neptune | Long-range land-attack configuration | Public Ukrainian and defense-industry reporting separates the later long-range Neptune from the baseline coastal-defense system, with a reported 1,000 km reach and larger RK360L warhead. Sources: Warhead Weight of the 1,000 km Ukraine's Long Neptune (RK360L) Revealed, Zelenskyy: Ukrainian-Made Long-Range Neptune Missile Successfully Tested in Combat |
The baseline 360MC Neptune system uses mobile launch vehicles rather than fixed coastal launchers.
| Launcher | Launcher type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Mobile transporter-erector-launcher | Luch identifies the USPU-360MC as the self-propelled launcher that stores, transports, prepares, and launches RK-360 / R-360 Neptune missiles. Sources: 360MC Neptune Missile System |
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council reported land-based Neptune tests at the Alibey range and identified Luch as the system developer.
Sources: Successful Tests of the Neptune Cruise Missile System Were Held
Naval News reported that the Neptune missile system had been formally adopted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in August 2020.
Sources: Ukraine Ordered a First Batch of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and Luch signed a contract for a first RK-360MC Neptune division, including missiles, command, launcher, reloader, and transport vehicles.
Sources: Ukraine Ordered a First Batch of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems
U.S. officials assessed that Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles struck the Russian cruiser Moskva before the ship sank in the Black Sea.
Sources: Russian War Ship Moskva Sunk by Ukrainian Neptune Anti-Ship Missile, US Says
Ukraine said Neptune missiles were used in an attack that destroyed Russian air-defense launchers in occupied Crimea.
Sources: Ukraine Says Russian Missile Defence Destroyed in Crimea
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's long-range Neptune had completed successful testing and combat use, with a reported 1,000 km range.
Sources: Zelenskyy: Ukrainian-Made Long-Range Neptune Missile Successfully Tested in Combat
The Ukrainian Navy said a domestic Neptune coastal missile system hit a Russian Black Sea Fleet facility in Streletska Bay, Sevastopol.
Sources: Ukrainian-Made Neptune Missile Hits Russian Navy Facility in Sevastopol
The baseline Neptune complex is documented as a distributed coastal-defense system rather than only a missile round. Luch material lists command, launcher, reloader, transport, missile-container, and ground-equipment elements, while later public reporting treats Neptune-D / RK360L as a separate long-range land-attack branch of the same family.
| Element | Public role | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| RK-360MC / 360MC Neptune | Coastal missile complex | Includes command, launcher, reloader, transport, and R-360 missile elements in a mobile coastal-defense division. |
| Mobile launch vehicle | Luch describes the launcher as carrying four RK-360 rounds and preparing them for R-360 missile launch. |
| Neptune-D / RK360L Long Neptune | Long-range strike branch | Open reporting links the later variant to land-attack missions, a 1,000 km reported range, and a larger reported warhead. |
Sources: 360MC Neptune Missile System; Ukraine Ordered a First Batch of Neptune Anti-Ship Missile Systems; Warhead Weight of the 1,000 km Ukraine's Long Neptune (RK360L) Revealed; Zelenskyy: Ukrainian-Made Long-Range Neptune Missile Successfully Tested in Combat.
