UK to Provide Ukraine With SCALP Missile Production Documentation

The United Kingdom will allow MBDA to declassify information on its components used in SCALP cruise missiles to enable their production in Ukraine.

The decision concerns granting the Franco-British consortium permission to transfer documentation for British-origin components, Reuters reports. This will be announced during British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s visit to Ukraine.

France will grant Ukraine licenses to produce these cruise missiles.

Development of the SCALP EG air-launched cruise missile began in the 1990s. It was designed by the Franco-British defense companies Matra and British Aerospace based on the Apache missile.

For a long time, the project was developed in parallel for the air forces of both countries. In France, the missile was designated SCALP EG (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée – Emploi Général), while the British version was named Storm Shadow.

Despite differences in the software and mounting interfaces for various aircraft types, both variants feature a standardized airframe design. The missile is 5.1 meters long, has a wingspan of 3 meters, and a launch weight of up to 1,300 kg.

The officially stated range of the missile’s basic export variants is over 250 km. At the same time, the original versions used by the French and British armed forces can cover distances of up to 550 km.