September 21, 2026
What is currently known about the small Bars cruise missile and how this type of weapon could evolve
Ukraine is reportedly producing around 2,000 Bars cruise missiles per month, while the weapon itself continues to evolve in terms of range and warhead capacity. However, questions remain about how these figures should be interpreted and what could limit further growth in production.
According to an NV report citing a representative of the unnamed Bars manufacturer, Ukraine is now producing more than 2,000 Bars per month in different configurations. The manufacturer also said that more than 200 deep-strike missions involving the weapon had already been carried out, with the number increasing significantly since then.
The fact that these figures are once again being disclosed by a representative of an unnamed manufacturer is worth noting. A similar situation occurred earlier at the Eurosatory 2026 exhibition, when additional details about the Bars RS were presented by representatives of the same undisclosed company.
The reported production rate of more than 2,000 Bars per month looks significant. At the same time, it is a figure provided by the manufacturer and has not been independently verified, so it should be treated accordingly.
There is also a broader question about the future development of the Bars family. The manufacturer says it wants to increase the weapon’s effectiveness to the point where 75% of launched systems reach and hit their targets. This should be understood as a stated development goal rather than an indication of the current success rate.
According to the manufacturer, the Bars has evolved from an initial configuration with a 22-kg warhead and a range of 700 km to a current configuration carrying a 60-kg warhead with a stated range of more than 1,000 km.
That evolution raises a separate question about the effects that can be achieved with a 60-kg warhead against different types of targets. Increasing the warhead size while maintaining a long range also places additional demands on the weapon’s propulsion system and overall design.
This is particularly important because the availability of small turbojet engines remains one of the potential bottlenecks for the production of compact cruise missiles and missile-drones.
Even if European partners are increasing their production of the small jet engines required for Ukraine’s long-range strike systems, this does not automatically mean that the available production capacity for such engines can increase several-fold.
This could ultimately shape the next stage of Bars development. Rather than simply increasing production numbers, future variants may need to evolve toward larger, more conventional cruise-missile configurations in order to increase their strike effectiveness while making better use of the available propulsion capacity.