Jul 16, 2025 - Technology

U.K. and France recommit to Storm Shadow missile and its successor

Colin Demarest

Models of missiles sit outdoors at a Paris Air Show booth. There is a large red sign in the background with white lettering reading: "MBDA." — Storm Shadow, front and center at the MBDA booth at the Paris Air Show this year. Photo: Colin Demarest/Axios

The U.K. and France committed to buying additional Storm Shadow cruise missiles, wielded in the Russia-Ukraine war, while also pursuing a more sophisticated replacement.

Why it matters: It's a sign of deepening relations between London and Paris, where the missile is known as SCALP.

The deal falls under an updated Lancaster House Agreement, which details military and defense-tech cooperation between the two governments.

The latest: Storm Shadow production lines will be upgraded, supporting 300-plus jobs at multinational contractor MBDA, while the next phase of a "project for both deep strike and anti-ship missiles" moves forward, according to a joint announcement.

British and French defense chiefs John Healey and Sébastien Lecornu recently visited an MBDA facility. The latter posted on X: "Production of SCALP missiles to equip our forces will resume in 2025, 15 years after our last order."

Zoom out: The Ukrainian military has lobbed Storm Shadows at Russian forces despite Moscow's warning of retaliation.

Kyiv has employed them aboard Su-24 Fencer aircraft.
Forbes in November reported on a 10-missile barrage targeting Russian commanders.

Go deeper: A defense-tech perfect storm brews in Europe

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U.K. and France recommit to Storm Shadow missile and its successor

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