UK approves transfer of Storm Shadow production technology to Ukraine

Iryna Levytska, Andrii Konyk - 24 August, 18:02

фото: getty images

The UK has approved the transfer of technology for producing Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Source: UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv on 24 August

Details: According to Burnham, the UK was one of the first countries to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons in 2023.

He said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested access to the UK's Storm Shadow technology so that Ukraine could develop the capability independently. He confirmed that he has approved the request and that British and French defence companies will now work with Ukraine to develop the technology.

The missile is manufactured by European defence company MBDA. According to the company, SCALP – known as Storm Shadow in the UK – is a long-range air-launched air-to-surface cruise missile designed to precisely strike fixed, heavily protected targets, including hardened bunkers and key infrastructure.

According to MBDA, the missile can be used day or night and in all weather conditions. Its guidance system combines inertial navigation, GPS and terrain-referenced navigation. After launch, the missile flies at low altitude to avoid detection. As it approaches its target, an onboard infrared seeker compares the target with a pre-loaded reference image, enabling a high degree of accuracy.

Render of the SCALP cruise missile

Photo: MBDA

Background:

Burnham arrived in Kyiv on 24 August on his first overseas visit since taking office. He was expected to announce the handover to Kyiv of secret data on British components for the long-range Storm Shadow/SCALP missile "as Ukraine and France look to establish local assembly lines in Ukraine".
The decision also complements the UK's Project Brakestop, aimed at rapidly developing low-cost long-range strike capabilities for Ukraine.
In June, Mykhailo Fedorov, the then Ukrainian defence minister, said that Kyiv was negotiating with France to obtain a licence to manufacture SCALP cruise missiles.

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