UK clears classified Storm Shadow data so Ukraine can assemble SCALP missiles
Prime Minister Andy Burnham authorised MBDA to release British component details, removing a technology barrier that had blocked French-Ukrainian plans for local production of the long-range cruise missile.
Kyiv2 min read
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Kyiv, August 25, 2026 — The United Kingdom has authorised European missile maker MBDA to declassify technical information on British components of the Storm Shadow cruise missile. The decision clears the way for Ukraine and France to establish assembly lines for the French SCALP version inside Ukraine.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the move during a visit to Kyiv that coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day. He said he had approved the request so that British and French industry can support Ukrainian production. Ukraine is already in talks with France on setting up the lines.
Storm Shadow and SCALP share core technology and components developed jointly by Britain and France. The air-launched missile has a range of more than 250 kilometres and is designed to strike hardened or high-value fixed targets while remaining difficult to detect. Ukraine has used the weapon against targets behind Russian lines since Western supplies began.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that both London and Paris have now given positive responses on licensing. He said the British approval arrived after earlier French confirmation. Production is not expected to yield operational missiles until next year at the earliest.
The industrial step forms part of a wider Western effort to shift more defence manufacturing closer to Ukraine. France and the UK have expressed hope that an initial production line could be ready by the end of 2026. Parallel discussions continue on other systems, including counter-drone defences funded in part by proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
Russian officials claimed a Ukrainian drone strike on a children’s centre in Krasnodar on Monday, an accusation Kyiv rejected. The Independence Day ceremonies in the capital remained sombre, with Zelensky laying flowers at the Wall of Remembrance for fallen troops.
For Ukraine the transfer of classified data is a concrete gain in long-range strike capacity. For Britain and France it marks a further step in integrating Ukrainian industry into the European defence supply chain. The practical test will be how quickly the first Ukrainian-assembled missiles leave the line and enter service.
