Six European Countries to Jointly Launch Eight Long-Range Weapons Projects

Six European countries have agreed on requirements and formalized plans to launch eight long-range weapons projects as part of the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA) initiative. Specifically, this includes the development of a missile with a range exceeding 2,000 km.

This was reported by Aviation Week.

On June 18, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom signed an agreement to continue the work. After agreeing on the next steps in several areas, the countries are ready to deepen their cooperation.

It was noted that several development areas have already reached a level of maturity that will allow them to continue their work as separate ELSA Implementation Groups (EIGs).

The eight EIGs will cover work in the areas of airborne early warning, long-range anti-radar missiles, long-range air-to-ground missiles, and European multiple launch rocket systems.

The countries will also work on developing surface-to-surface missiles with ranges of 300–500 km, 500–2,000 km, and over 2,000 km, as well as low-cost long-range strike weapons with a range of over 500 km.

Each group working on the development of long-range weapons will have a lead country responsible for the creation and procurement of the systems. As part of the future project, France has already proposed its own cruise missile, the Missile de Croisière Naval (MdCN), as the basis for developing a missile with a range of up to 2,000 km.

The MdCN, also known as the SCALP Naval, is a sea-launched cruise missile with a range of up to 1,000 km, developed by MBDA.

The cruise missile was designed using stealth technology. To enable covert penetration behind enemy lines and minimize the time the missile spends within the detection range of enemy air defense systems, it has been adapted to fly at ultra-low altitudes—30–40 meters above the surface—and to follow the terrain to maintain a consistently low altitude.

The MdCN is equipped with a powerful multi-channel guidance and positioning system. In addition to a basic inertial navigation system and satellite guidance capabilities, the missile is also equipped with an active radar homing seeker and an infrared guidance system.

According to the company, the system can be adapted for ground-based launch in a short time. And although the MdCN is not currently in production, production facilities are ready to resume manufacturing.