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Ukraine to Produce Storm Shadow Missiles After West Shares Technology
🇵🇱 Poland /Conflict & Security

Ukraine to Produce Storm Shadow Missiles After West Shares Technology

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Ukraine will produce Storm Shadow cruise missiles after France and Britain granted production rights and shared technical data.
  • The missiles have significantly impacted the war, enabling deep strikes against Russian forces and infrastructure.
  • The transfer aims to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities and potentially accelerate production by the end of 2026.

Ukraine is set to begin domestic production of the advanced Storm Shadow cruise missile, a move facilitated by France and Britain.

In July 2026, France provided Ukraine with the technical documentation for the SCALP-EG missile (the French designation for Storm Shadow) and licensed its production. Shortly after, on August 24, then-British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that the UK would allow the missile's manufacturer, MBDA, to disclose data on British components. This cleared the final hurdle for Kyiv to utilize the French license.

France has granted the right to license production on the territory of Ukraine.

— Article textDescribing the agreement between France and Ukraine regarding missile production.

The decision to grant Ukraine production rights has sparked considerable discussion, particularly regarding Kyiv's ability to quickly establish manufacturing capabilities for these sophisticated weapons. Reports suggest Paris and Kyiv aim to commence production before the end of 2026.

Britain agrees to the disclosure by the manufacturer of these missiles, and thus the MBDA concern, of classified data on British components of Storm Shadow/SCALP.

— Article textExplaining Britain's role in enabling Ukraine's production capabilities.

The Storm Shadow missile has proven to be a war-altering weapon system for Ukraine. Its ability to conduct deep strikes against Russian forces and their rear areas has been critical. Notable strikes include hitting the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol in September 2023 and damaging the Rostov-on-Don submarine in dry dock just nine days prior. These attacks, among others, are credited with pushing the Russian fleet out of Sevastopol to Novorossiysk.

Ukraine has also effectively used the missiles against fortified Russian command and communication points. In late 2025, the missiles were employed against the Bryansk Chemical Plants, which produce propellants and rocket fuel. Another strike in March targeted the Kremniy-EL facilities in Bryansk, a major producer of electronic components.

Storm Shadow missiles... have changed the course of the war in a way that no other Western weapon system has.

— Article textHighlighting the strategic impact of the Storm Shadow missiles on the conflict.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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