Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, confirmed on Monday that he received permission from both the United Kingdom and France for Ukraine to manufacture on its own the Storm Shadow or SCALP (the name it receives in France), which are the product of a joint Franco-British project. The announcement was made during the visit of British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Kiev.
France and Ukraine had already been negotiating the production and assembly of the Storm Shadow on Ukrainian territory, but there was technical information related to British components that could not be transferred without London’s authorization.
But finally, the British Government authorized the defense company MBDA to provide Ukraine with the necessary information to produce the Storm Shadow.
This is a significant and strategic step, as the West moves from simply delivering finished weapons to Ukraine to transferring technological knowledge so that this country can manufacture them.
According to the AP agency, the first missiles produced in Ukraine under this scheme could be available by 2027.
Moscow reacted harshly. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused the United Kingdom of “adding fuel to the fire” and said that Russia is gathering information to locate the facilities where these missiles will be manufactured in order to attack them.
What could change in the war?
According to international analyst Enrique Banús, the decision by the United Kingdom is a step of great importance for Kiev, not only because of access to this type of weaponry, but because it would allow it to strengthen its response capacity against Russian attacks, especially those directed against cities, energy infrastructure, and the civilian population.
The analyst adds that the agreement “offers a way out of the reluctance that some European countries had shown until now to directly deliver this type of weaponry to Kiev.”
“Ukraine has demonstrated a growing capacity to develop and adapt its own military industry during the war. A good percentage of the weapons it uses are produced locally, so there is already significant participation of the Ukrainian industry, especially in areas such as drones and unmanned naval systems”, he highlights to El Comercio.
“I am sure that Ukrainians will be able to manufacture this type of weaponry in a relatively short time,” he states.
Banús argues that the British decision could have an even more important consequence: “serve as a model for other Western countries to establish similar agreements with Ukraine, without formally abandoning their own restrictions on the transfer of certain weapons.”
Regarding Zelensky’s request to Donald Trump to allow him to manufacture Patriot system missiles, the decision by the United States is pending.
“With Trump, you never know“, says Banús, who considers that, for now, it is unlikely that Washington will take that step.
He points out that under normal conditions, the United Kingdom’s decision could easily have been imitated by the United States, but the current war in Iran has distanced London and Washington.
How much does a Storm Shadow cost? Although the current price is not public, recent estimates place the value of each missile at about US$2.5 million.
How might Putin react?
Banús considers it likely that Putin will initially respond with strong political condemnation and increased military pressure on Ukraine.
“There may also be an intensification of attacks, although at this moment they are already at a high level“, he notes.
However, the analyst rules out that Russia has room to take direct retaliation against the United Kingdom.
“Putin’s reaction will certainly be strong rhetorically, but I don’t think he can do anything against the United Kingdom“, he maintains.
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What are the Storm Shadow like?
In May 2023 it became known that the United Kingdom had delivered to Ukraine the long-range air-to-ground cruise missiles Storm Shadow for the war against Russia.
These missiles are the same used by the Royal Air Force and have a maximum range of 400 kilometers, although the version delivered to Ukraine is the 250-kilometer range one.
As reported by the portal El Español, the Storm Shadow originates from the French Apache projectiles. It was developed since 1994 by the French manufacturer Matra and the British British Aerospace. Currently, it is manufactured by the European consortium MBDA Missile Systems.
Its manufacturer describes the Storm Shadow as a “deep strike weapon” capable of “operating day and night in any weather” and is equipped with a sophisticated guidance system.
The missile has a 450-kilogram warhead, capable of penetrating reinforced targets such as bunkers.
It is also designed to destroy command, control, and communications posts, airfields, critical infrastructure, surface ships, submarines in port, and bridges.
It measures 5.1 meters long and has a total weight of 1,300 kilograms. Additionally, it travels at a speed of 800 kilometers per hour.
It is powered by a turbojet and has been adapted to be launched from various combat aircraft, such as the Tornado IDS, Dassault Rafale, or the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Ukraine has mainly used its modernized Su-24M aircraft as a launch platform for the Storm Shadow. It also uses the Mirage 2000-5 delivered by France.
Once fired, the missile cannot be controlled nor can its self-destruction be ordered, and the information about its target cannot be modified. The projectile follows a semi-autonomous trajectory, flying low guided by GPS and terrain mapping to the target. Once near the target, the missile performs an ascending trajectory and then dives, details El Español.
Can they be intercepted? According to its manufacturer, enemy air defenses cannot see it. But according to Frontier India, Russian medium-range air defense missile systems S-350 Vityaz and S-300V4 are optimized to intercept fast, low-flying cruise missiles like the Storm Shadow.
How far can Ukraine strike with the Storm Shadow?
Considering the 250 km version of the Storm Shadow delivered to Ukraine, its potential impact against Russia is concentrated in occupied Crimea and the bordering Russian regions, but not in most of that country nor in Moscow.
Ukraine has used the Storm Shadow against military facilities in Crimea. Among the targets hit are the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, in Sevastopol; naval facilities and shipyards; command and control centers; logistics infrastructure; and other points of concentration of Russian forces.
Ukraine has also already used the Storm Shadow against targets in the Kursk region.
This year Ukraine used the Storm Shadow against Russian military industry facilities in Bryansk, including the Kremniy EL plant, linked to electronic components for military systems.
There have also been reports of attacks against the Bryansk chemical plant that produces materials used in ammunition and rocket fuel.
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