--- title: "NIGHTFALL" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-34819dcd-573b-46d8-b5c6-51300dc614d8" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-34819dcd-573b-46d8-b5c6-51300dc614d8" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-34819dcd-573b-46d8-b5c6-51300dc614d8.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-34819dcd-573b-46d8-b5c6-51300dc614d8.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE" published: "2025-08-28" --- # NIGHTFALL Buyer: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-34819dcd-573b-46d8-b5c6-51300dc614d8 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-34819dcd-573b-46d8-b5c6-51300dc614d8) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-34819dcd-573b-46d8-b5c6-51300dc614d8.json) ## Summary The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has initiated a tendering process under the title "NIGHTFALL", focusing on the development of tactical ballistic missiles. This procurement targets the production of missiles capable of being launched from mobile platforms and is currently at the planning stage. The relevant industry categories are "Air/ground/sea launched cruise missiles" and "Military research and technology." The buying entity has published a market engagement notice to gather industry feedback by the engagement end date on 18 September 2025. The procurement is managed from two locations: MOD Abbey Wood South in Bristol, and Scale Space, White City, London. This tender presents vast business growth opportunities, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) specialising in defence technology. Businesses engaged in propulsion systems, airframe construction, navigation technology, mobile launcher systems, or overall systems integration are particularly well-suited to compete. The MOD is open to partial solutions, fostering collaboration among companies to deliver end-to-end capabilities. The scalability of the proposed solutions will be prioritised, potentially facilitating operations at a minimum production of 10 units per month, thus promising significant and scalable contracts for successful bidders. This procurement method follows an open engagement model, ensuring diverse participation and innovative advancements in military technology. ## Notice The User requires a cost-effective, tactical (>600km) ballistic missile, capable of being safely ground launched from a mobile platform in a high threat tactical environment, navigating to and accurately striking a user-programmed co-ordinate. It shall be: operable in harsh physical environments, day and night, of low multispectral signature, resilient in a complex Electromagnetic environment (EME), including within a GNSS denied & degraded environment, and resistant against targeted EW attack and spoofing. Subject to potential future contract, manufacturing shall be scalable to meet operational requirements at a minimum of 10 units per month, with the ability to further increase." Overview: MOD requires the ability to deliver multiple (>2) effectors from a single ground vehicle. Each effector must carry a circa 300kg (high explosive) payload over 600km on a ballistic trajectory, with some basic manoeuvrability. Such solutions are commonly referred to as tactical ballistic missiles. The effector must be able to navigate in a GPS denied environment and strike within 5m of a provided GPS co-ordinate 50% of the time i.e. have a CEP50 of 5m. Flight time must be rapid - able to strike targets within 10 minutes of an effector launch. Similarly, launch time must be rapid - we envision all NIGHTFALL effectors being fired from the same launcher within 15 minutes of stopping at a launch location. Post launch, the ground vehicle/launcher and crew must be able to rapidly leave the area, ideally in 5 minutes. The target effector cost is PS500,000 all-up per unit, excluding the warhead, launcher and any development costs. We are looking for technologies that can be packaged within 9-12 months to provide at least five all-up units for trials. The design should minimise and ideally be free from foreign government trade and usage restrictions, such as export control. The design must have the ability to be upgraded in the future, such as increasing the range, accuracy, in-flight manoeuvrability, fitted telemetry and other elements as required. At this stage, MOD is keen to understand Industry's feedback to this challenge statement. We do not need to be presented with a complete solution. If your product answers part of the problem we encourage you to participate and network with other companies who can also part of the solution. If you are offering part of the solution, we need you to explicitly state which part of the problem you are answering within the categories of: Propulsion system i.e. Rocket Motors or other systems. Airframe Navigation Ability to scale Mobile launcher systems Systems Integration The project will be prioritising scalability over exquisite solutions. The following could be government furnished (Gfx): Payload Fuzes Testing ranges/facilities Support for scaling Government SME (DSTL, DE&S) advice Please use the following link to attend the Industry day. https://forms.office.com/e/zUpjSPi06d ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/96bd4458-74ee-448a-8517-e702cc2f7d51 | | Notice type | Planned Procurement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 28 Aug 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 18 Sep 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | MINISTRY OF DEFENCE | | Locality | BRISTOL | | Post town | Bristol | | Postcode | BS34 8JH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England | | ITL 3 | TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire | | Local authority | South Gloucestershire | | Electoral ward | Stoke Park & Cheswick | | Westminster constituency | Filton and Bradley Stoke | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 35623100 - Air/ground/sea launched cruise missiles - 73410000 - Military research and technology ## Release History - 28 Aug 2025 at 08:36 - Planning - Planned Procurement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/96bd4458-74ee-448a-8517-e702cc2f7d51 - 27 Aug 2025 at 15:15 - Planning - Planned Procurement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/96bd4458-74ee-448a-8517-e702cc2f7d51 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/96bd4458-74ee-448a-8517-e702cc2f7d51 28th August 2025 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/c2caddb3-17a2-47d9-bd23-8e6939cfce3e ## Notice URLs - https://forms.office.com/e/zUpjSPi06d ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. 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