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United Kingdom MBDA
Storm Shadow
An Anglo-French air-launched, low-observable cruise missile designed for deep-strike attacks on hardened and high-value targets well beyond air-defense range. Known as SCALP-EG in French service, it has seen combat use over Iraq, Libya, Syria and Ukraine.
In service since 2002 · 8 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
560
km range
0.8
Mach
450
kg warhead
💲 ≈ $3,000,000 — Publicly cited export unit price estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
UK export-licensed
Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.
Channel: Government-to-government or direct
Fielded & proven
Established · 8 operators
In service since 2002. Status: active · ~3,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 0.8 Mach Stronger than 17% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 560 km Stronger than 73% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 450 kg Stronger than 72% of missiles
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- BROACH tandem-charge penetrator
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- INS/GPS, Terrain-reference navigation, Imaging infrared terminal homing
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 5.1 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 1,300 kg
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turbojet
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $3,000,000 Stronger than 14% of missiles
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 3,000 Stronger than 52% of missiles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 8 Stronger than 66% of missiles
Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
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Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the MBDA Storm Shadow? +
The MBDA Storm Shadow has a maximum range of 560 km.
How much does the MBDA Storm Shadow weigh? +
The MBDA Storm Shadow has a combat weight of 1,300 kg.
What is the MBDA Storm Shadow used for? +
The MBDA Storm Shadow is a missile typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the MBDA Storm Shadow? +
The MBDA Storm Shadow is operated by 8 countries.
How much does the MBDA Storm Shadow cost? +
The MBDA Storm Shadow has an approximate unit cost of 3,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
