Breaking News: France Restarts SCALP Missile Production After Ukraine Success and Stock Rebuild Need.

According to information published by French Minister of Defense Sébastien Lecornu on July 9, 2025, via his official X account, France is officially restarting production of the SCALP air-launched cruise missile, fifteen years after the last national procurement. The announcement came during a joint visit with British Secretary of State for Defence John Healey to MBDA’s missile production facility in Stevenage, United Kingdom, one of the primary sites responsible for manufacturing key components of the missile. This strategic move underscores the growing demand for long-range precision strike weapons in modern conflict and reaffirms Franco-British cooperation in the defense industrial domain.
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French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu and UK Defence Secretary John Healey visit the SCALP cruise missile production line at MBDA’s facility in Stevenage, United Kingdom, reaffirming Franco-British defense cooperation and support for long-range precision strike capabilities. (Picture source: X account Sébastien Lecornu)

The SCALP (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée) is a precision-guided, air-launched cruise missile developed by MBDA to provide long-range strike capability against heavily defended strategic targets. Designed for deep-penetration missions, SCALP can strike command centers, airbases, radar installations, and hardened bunkers with high precision, all while maintaining a low radar cross-section and high survivability in contested airspace. The missile has a range exceeding 250 kilometers and is powered by a Microturbo TRI 60-30 turbojet engine, allowing it to fly at subsonic speeds using terrain-following navigation to avoid detection. Guidance is achieved through a combination of inertial navigation, GPS, and terrain reference systems, with terminal guidance provided by an infrared seeker and digital target matching for pinpoint accuracy.

In response to evolving operational requirements, MBDA has developed an advanced version known as the SCALP EG (Emploi Général), which incorporates enhanced targeting systems, improved electronic counter-countermeasures, and upgraded navigation capabilities. This modernized variant ensures that SCALP remains effective against increasingly sophisticated air defense networks and continues to serve as a vital asset in France’s strategic strike arsenal.

Since mid-2023, both France and the United Kingdom have supplied SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion. These missiles have been launched from modified Ukrainian Su-24 Fencer fighter-bombers, with integration assistance from Western partners. Their impact on the battlefield has been significant: the SCALP has enabled Ukraine to conduct deep strikes against strategic Russian military infrastructure in occupied territories, including command posts, ammunition depots, and airbases beyond the reach of conventional artillery or short-range rocket systems. Combat footage and satellite imagery have confirmed successful hits on targets in Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions, often inflicting severe damage while avoiding civilian casualties due to the missile’s precision.

Ukrainian military officials and Western analysts alike have praised the SCALP/Storm Shadow as a game-changer, providing Kyiv with a capability that was previously missing from its arsenal. The missile's deployment has also revealed vulnerabilities in Russian air defense layers, as several targets protected by advanced systems such as the S-300 and Pantsir-S1 have still been struck with devastating effect. Its use has also reportedly forced Russian command centers to relocate further from the front lines, affecting their coordination and logistical efficiency.

France’s decision to restart production of SCALP reflects a strategic shift in force readiness and an acknowledgment of the need to replenish stocks of high-end munitions that are now being used in real-world operations. It also reinforces MBDA’s position as Europe’s premier missile manufacturer and the only integrated company capable of delivering a full range of tactical and strategic missile systems. The Franco-British missile cooperation around SCALP/Storm Shadow represents one of the most successful examples of joint European defense development, and the program continues to evolve with upgrades for enhanced targeting, survivability, and compatibility with newer platforms such as the Rafale F4 and the upcoming FCAS (Future Combat Air System).

The resumption of SCALP cruise missile production marks a critical step toward reinforcing European deterrence, maintaining operational credibility in expeditionary scenarios, and ensuring that partner nations have access to reliable, combat-proven long-range precision strike systems amid increasing global instability.