New deliveries to kyiv of around “forty” Scalp missiles. Head of State Emmanuel Macron announced Tuesday evening that France would continue to support Ukraine militarily, via Scalp-EGs, but also “several hundred bombs”, AASMs, “so as not to let the Russia.” The 40 Scalp “will be taken from French stock”, specifies 20 minutes an officer of the Air and Space Force (AEE).
20 minutes looked at these famous long-range Scalp missiles, and tells you everything about their capabilities and why they are so eagerly awaited by the Ukrainian armed forces.
What is Scalp?
The Scalp-EG missile, for Long-Range Autonomous Cruise System and General Use, called “Storm Shadow” in its English version, is a long-range missile developed in Franco-British collaboration by the European missile manufacturer MBDA. “It’s a deep strike missile, fired at home from a Rafale or Mirage 2000-D fighter,” explains to 20 minutes an AEE officer. The Rafale can carry two, the Mirage only one.
In “depth”, this means that we can “fire these missiles with a certain safety distance, of the order of 300 km or more, from a fighter plane, to penetrate enemy territories defended by missiles ground-to-air,” continues the Air Force officer.
What type of targets are targeted by Scalps?
Capable of carrying an explosive charge of 400 kg, the Scalp is also extremely precise. “We are able to target an objective of the order of a meter,” explains the AEE officer, “which allows us to determine very precisely where we want the charge to detonate. In general, it is used for “hardened” type objectives, i.e. bunkers or important buildings, and “high added value” targets. » This precision is made possible thanks to a trajectory with GPS guidance, and a sensor which allows infrared recognition.
Stealth
The Scalp is also renowned for its discretion. “Its particular shape and the nature of its coating give it a certain stealth, even if nothing is ever completely stealthy,” explains the Air Force officer. The Scalp has been optimized to achieve a certain discretion, the objective being to delay its detection as much as possible by an opposing radar, leaving as little time as possible for the enemy to react, which will thus allow the missile to pierce the lines opponents and hit their objective. » The other advantage of this weapon is its ability to operate at low altitude, “of the order of a hundred meters of altitude. » « The lower we are, the more we benefit from the “masks” represented by the valleys, the trees, the buildings, facing enemy radars. »
In what cases were they used by the French Air Force?
“We used it for the first time in Libya in 2011, with Rafales and Mirage 2000-Ds, to attack command centers,” explains the AEE officer. He also served during the Hamilton mission in Syria, on the night of April 13 to 14, 2018, an operation under French command to destroy Bashar Al-Assad’s stock of chemical weapons. “A raid was carried out following the chemical attacks on Bashar Al-Assad, by the United States, the British and the French, during which a simultaneous strike by two Scalps was carried out. » The Air Force adds that the Scalp also served “quite a bit” during missions as part of Operation Chammal against Daesh training centers or logistics depots.
Are these the first Scalps delivered by France to Ukraine?
No. Ukraine obtained its first Scalp missiles from France in the summer of 2023. In August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also dedicated a Scalp-EG missile by writing “Glory to Ukraine ” (in Ukrainian), reports the specialized site Air et Cosmos. The missile was attached to the right wing of a Ukrainian Air Force Su-24M Fencer bomber, which was also equipped with a second Storm Shadow missile supplied by the United Kingdom.
“It was necessary to carry out a technical adaptation on the Ukrainian Sukhoi carriers to allow them to take on board Scalps”, specifies the AEE officer at 20 minutes. “Even if this adaptation makes them lose a little flexibility, they have exactly the same effects as if they were fired from a French fighter,” he assures.
Will this delivery be enough to help Ukraine?
“The Scalp missile is highly appreciated by the Ukrainian armed forces for its capabilities, and it will be very useful to them,” confides Cédric Perrin, LR senator from the Territoire de Belfort, and chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Senate. The elected official went to kyiv in December, where he met the Ukrainian Minister of Defense.
“This delivery of 40 Scalps is good news and I salute the effort that has been made,” continues the elected official. We can always think that 40 is insufficient, but this is technologically very advanced equipment, which will avoid firing dozens and dozens of missiles, and hitting the mark in one go. »
On the other hand, Cédric Perrin warns that “on these subjects, we cannot have fun doing communications: we are addressing a country which is at war and which shows a strong expectation of support. If we promise, we give. » As the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, a report from the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee also calls on France to “shift into higher gear” in its military aid to the Ukraine. “We are not there,” laments Cédric Perrin. For example, we only manufacture 20,000 155 mm shells per year, the rate would have to be considerably increased. » “The Ukrainians are fighting for us, so we must deliver equipment to them,” he urges.