Ukraine Negotiates License to Produce SCALP Missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared that he had a “very good conversation” with French President Emmanuel Macron about securing a license for Ukraine to produce French-made SCALP cruise missiles.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced the development during a joint briefing with his Danish counterpart on Monday, according to Interfax-Ukraine.

On February 9, 2026, Ukraine and France signed a Letter of Intent on joint weapons production, laying the groundwork for cooperative defense projects between the two governments and their respective defense industries.

“It is fair to say that during our President’s visit to France, he had a very constructive discussion with President Macron about the possibility of licensing the production of SCALP missiles in Ukraine. Talks are now continuing with both the French government and the manufacturer as the remaining details are being finalized,” Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.

On June 27, these same missiles struck the base of a Russian Armed Forces communications and radio-technical support battalion at Taganrog-Central Air Base.

France had previously opposed using funds to purchase Storm Shadow missiles from the United Kingdom, arguing that the financing should be spent exclusively within the European Union.

On June 17, G7 leaders announced that they were prepared to expand licensing agreements with Ukraine to strengthen the Ukrainian Defense Forces’ long-range strike capabilities.

Storm Shadow / SCALP EG

The Franco-British Storm Shadow/SCALP EG is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile designed to penetrate enemy air defenses and destroy high-value fixed targets, including hardened bunkers.

The missile is 5.1 meters (16.7 feet) long, has a launch weight of up to 1,300 kg (2,866 lb), and carries a 450 kg (992 lb) warhead.

The missile was developed by Matra (France) and British Aerospace (United Kingdom) from the second half of the 1990s through the early 2000s. The MBDA consortium now manufactures it.

The Storm Shadow/SCALP EG entered service with the French and British armed forces in 2003. Several other countries have since adopted it.

The French version, SCALP EG, and the British version, Storm Shadow, are essentially identical. The only significant differences are in their software and the aircraft platforms certified to carry and launch the missile.