Ukraine will receive a new batch of long-range SCALP missiles from France. In particular, we are talking about the transfer of about ten such missiles.
Points of attention
- France will deliver a new batch of long-range SCALP missiles to Ukraine, which is an important military support.
- The Minister of Defense of France emphasized the importance of helping Ukraine to improve the security and stability of the country.
- The plan provides for the transfer of not only missiles to the Ukrainian army, but also training on French equipment to increase combat readiness.
- The SCALP missiles transferred to Ukraine have a flight range of up to 560 km and are an important element of the country's defense.
- The plans also include the arrival of Mirage aircraft with cruise missiles and aerial bombs from France to strengthen the Ukrainian air fleet.
What is known about the transfer of long-range SCALP missiles to Ukraine from France
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu stressed that international partners should maintain a stable level of aid to Ukraine, as this will allow the Ukrainian authorities to make political decisions when the appropriate moment arrives.
Military support is critically important, and even after the end of the war, the Ukrainian army will need to continue to be strengthened, Lecornyu noted.
The minister said that France will continue training for two thousand Ukrainian soldiers who train on French equipment.
The head of the Ministry of Defense also predicted that in the winter Russia may intensify attacks deep into the territory of Ukraine. In response, France will provide Ukraine with portable Mistral anti-aircraft missile complexes and SCALP missiles.
In order to support the ability to strike behind the front line, I recently signed a new transfer of about ten SCALP missiles, as promised by French President Volodymyr Zelensky, the minister added.
SCALP missiles are the French version of the Storm Shadow cruise missiles, jointly developed by France and Great Britain. Both versions are similar, differing only in software and media type. The range of the SCALP reaches 560 km, but there is an export version with a reduced range to 290 km and a smaller warhead.
When Ukraine can get the first Mirage
According to the editorial office of La Tribune, within the first batch, France plans to provide Kyiv with 3 aircraft.
As the journalists managed to find out, their provision will be made "in the first trimester" of 2025 (January-April).
It is by that time that they plan to complete the training of the machines and the training of pilots and mechanics. The planes will be armed with SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles and French AASM air-to-ground guided bombs, the report said.
It is worth noting that the French Ministry of Defense has not yet officially confirmed or denied these journalists' data.
