Storm Shadow
The Storm Shadow is a Franco-British low-observable, long-range air-launched cruise missile developed since 1994 by Matra and British Aerospace, and now manufactured by MBDA. "Storm Shadow" is the weapon's British name; in France it is called SCALP-EG (which stands for "Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée – Emploi Général"; English: "Long Range Autonomous Cruise Missile System – General Purpose"). The missile is based on the French-developed Apache anti-runway cruise missile, but differs in that it carries a unitary warhead instead of cluster munitions.
| Storm Shadow/SCALP EG | |
|---|---|
A missile displayed in the RAF Museum, London | |
| Type | Air-launched cruise missile |
| Place of origin | France & United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | Since 2003 |
| Used by | See operators |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Matra BAe Dynamics |
| Designed | 1994–2001 |
| Manufacturer | MBDA |
| Unit cost | £2,000,000 (FY2023) (US$2,500,000) |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1,300 kg (2,900 lb) |
| Length | 5.1 m (16 ft 9 in) |
| Width | 630 mm (25 in) |
| Height | 480 mm (19 in) |
| Wingspan | 3 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Warhead | Multistage BROACH penetration warhead |
| Warhead weight | 450 kilograms (990 lb) |
| Engine | Microturbo TRI 60-30 turbojet 5.4 kN (1,200 lbf) |
Operational range | 550 km (300 nmi; 340 mi) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 0.95 (323 m/s; 1,060 ft/s) |
Guidance system | GPS, INS, IIR & TERPROM |
Steering system | 6 tailplanes (4 vertical & 2 horizontal) |
| Transport | Mirage 2000, Rafale, Su-24, Tornado, Typhoon, Gripen |
| References | Janes & The Telegraph |
To meet the requirement issued by the French Ministry of Defence for a more potent cruise missile capable of being launched from surface vessels and submarines, and able to strike strategic and military targets from extended standoff ranges with even greater precision, MBDA France began development of the Missile de Croisière Naval ("Naval Cruise Missile") or MdCN in 2006 to complement the SCALP. The first firing test took place in July 2013 and was successful. The MdCN has been operational on French FREMM frigates since 2017 and also equips France's Barracuda nuclear attack submarines, which entered operational service in 2022.
In 2017, a joint contract to upgrade the respective Storm Shadow/SCALP stockpiles in French and British service was signed. It is expected to sustain the missile until its planned withdrawal from service in 2032.
France, the UK, along with Italy are jointly developing the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon to replace SCALP/Storm Shadow and each nation's respective anti-ship missiles by 2028 and 2034.