The UK will allow MBDA to release classified information needed for Ukraine and France to establish local assembly of SCALP long-range missiles.
This was unveiled as Prime Minister Andy Burnham marked his first official visit to Ukraine. The decision is intended to clear a technical hurdle for plans to assemble the French-made SCALP missile in Ukraine.
SCALP is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile developed by MBDA in the late 1990s to strike high-value and fortified targets with precision while remaining difficult to detect. The missile gives European air forces a stand-off strike capability against targets such as bunkers, command facilities, air bases, and critical infrastructure.
France and the UK have provided SCALP missiles to Ukraine, where they have been used against targets behind Russian lines.
In June, Ukraine began talks with France on securing a license to produce SCALP missiles domestically. The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Expanding Ukraine’s Defense Production
The announcement is just the latest in a series of UK efforts to help Ukraine expand its domestic defense production.
In August, the two countries said they are exploring acquiring counter-drone systems to defend against Shahed attacks, with funding potentially coming from revenues generated by frozen Russian assets.
In June, the UK launched a 752-million-pound ($1.2-billion) package for Ukraine that includes funding for 150,000 Ukrainian-produced drones, as well as more than 350 air defense missiles and radars.
The push comes amid continued warnings from Kyiv over air defense shortages, with the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine approaching five years.
Zelensky has called air defense as an absolute priority, while he previously said Ukraine was receiving nearly three times fewer anti-ballistic missiles than before 2026.