France and the United Kingdom have announced a major reinforcement of their long-standing defense partnership, including the restart of SCALP/Storm Shadow missile production, the launch of a next-generation missile program, and deeper nuclear cooperation.
The announcements were made during a visit by French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu to MBDA’s facility in Stevenage, England, where part of the missile is manufactured, alongside UK Defence Secretary John Healey. The visit coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the UK and a bilateral summit with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow returns to the production line
Speaking from the MBDA UK site, Lecornu confirmed that France would resume production of the SCALP missile [the French designation of the Storm Shadow – ed. note] for the first time in 15 years. The two countries will place new orders to replenish their own stockpiles. The exact number of missiles to be ordered has not been specified.
“Production of SCALP missiles to equip our forces will resume this year, 15 years after our last order,” he said.
The SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missile is a British-French weapon developed in the 1990s by Matra and British Aerospace and is now manufactured by the European missile maker MBDA. This weapon can strike targets at a radius of up to 560 kilometers (350 miles).
Both France and the United Kingdom supplied Ukraine with these cruise missiles during the summer of 2023. They have since been used to target several strategic targets, including the Chonhar bridge that connects Crimea with Russian-held parts of the southern Kherson region, and the Sevastopol port, damaging several warships.
A new generation of deep-strike missiles
London and Paris also announced the launch of the next phase of the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) program, which aims to replace the Storm Shadow/SCALP with a more advanced, dual-role missile capable of deep strike and maritime strike missions.
This joint development effort, launched in 2017 and led by MBDA, is expected to sustain 1,300 highly skilled jobs in the UK alone. The program is part of the UK’s wider strategy to use defense as a growth engine under its “Plan for Change,” while also reinforcing national resilience and deterrence capabilities.
New weapons, AI, and deeper industrial ties
The refreshed Lancaster House agreements, dubbed “Lancaster House 2.0,” include a new industrial cooperation framework referred to by the UK as the Entente Industrielle. The two nations plan to expand joint weapons development, including:
- Advanced radiofrequency and directed-energy weapons
- New beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles
- Integration of AI into future missiles and drones for synchronized strikes
The two countries will also deepen cooperation in areas such as cyber defense, space, and data-driven battlefield awareness.
Coordinated nuclear deterrence
For the first time, France and the UK also issued a joint declaration stating that while their nuclear deterrents remain independent, they can be coordinated. The declaration underlines that there is “no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations.”
“The UK and France are Europe’s only nuclear powers, with deterrents that contribute significantly to NATO’s overall security,” the British government stated.
This move comes amid calls from the Trump administration for European NATO members to take greater responsibility for the continent’s security.