The United Kingdom announced Monday it will assist Ukraine in producing its own long-range missiles by sharing classified technical information on British components. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the defense firm MBDA will release details on U.K.-made parts for the SCALP missile to Ukraine, enabling the country to assemble the weapons.
Burnham made the announcement in Kyiv during a visit with other international leaders for Ukraine's Independence Day. The SCALP missile is the French version of the U.K.'s Storm Shadow, an air-launched, high-precision missile with a range exceeding 250 kilometers (155 miles). Both missiles utilize shared French and British technology. According to MBDA, the missile measures 5.1 meters (16.7 feet), is difficult to detect, and is designed to strike fixed or stationary targets like hardened bunkers and critical infrastructure. It features an advanced navigation system for exceptional accuracy.
Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles are currently operational with the British, French, and Italian air forces, as well as in several export countries, and have been employed in conflicts in Iraq, Libya, and Syria.
Ukraine has been in discussions with France, which recently agreed to support the establishment of missile assembly lines within Ukraine. However, the progress of these plans and the timeline for operational missiles remain unknown.
Experts suggest that the immediate impact of the U.K.'s announcement may be limited. "Any impact … will in part depend on how quickly Ukrainian-assembled SCALP cruise missiles can be introduced into service," said Douglas Barrie, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Arun Dawson, a researcher at the Freeman Air and Space Institute at King’s College London, indicated that the initiative is unlikely to significantly affect the conflict this winter, with effects possibly not seen until next year at the earliest.
Dawson noted that Ukraine's immediate need is defense against Russian ballistic missile attacks, citing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement on Sunday that the country is receiving fewer Patriot defense systems amid increasing Russian ballistic strikes. He added that SCALP missiles could provide Ukraine with a deep-strike offensive capability, enabling strikes against Russian sites used to launch ballistic missiles.
Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at London's Royal United Services Institute, observed that Ukraine's development of its own ballistic and cruise missiles would complement its drone capabilities. He explained that a SCALP missile possesses a sophisticated warhead and strikes at a velocity that allows it to penetrate hardened structures and destroy buried targets, an ability that slower, less stealthy drones currently lack.
Russia has reacted to the U.K.'s announcement, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accusing Britain of intensifying the conflict. Burnham dismissed the accusation, questioning Russia's role in initiating the conflict.
In 2023, Britain was the first country to supply longer-range strike weapons to Ukraine, donating Storm Shadow missiles that enabled Kyiv to strike targets behind front lines and in Russian-occupied Crimea. The U.K. is also involved in other initiatives to help Ukraine develop strike weapons, including testing a new ground-launched system designed to hit targets over 500 kilometers away with a substantial warhead.