Ukraine is in talks with France regarding a licence to manufacture SCALP cruise missiles, which are already in use by the Armed Forces. This issue was discussed during a meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron.
- Ukraine is in talks with France regarding the licensed production of the SCALP.
- Zelensky discussed the licensing issue with Macron during his visit.
- Defence Minister Fedorov confirmed that progress had been made in the negotiations.
- At the same time, negotiations are continuing with the US regarding other types of weaponry.
- Local production of SCALP will reduce dependence on imports.
Licensed production of SCALP missiles: a new phase for Ukraine
Ukraine is approaching a new stage in the development of its defence industry. The Minister of Defence Mikhail Fedorov stated that Kyiv is in talks with France regarding the acquisition of a licence to manufacture cruise missiles SCALP, which are already in service with the Ukrainian Defence Forces.
The meeting between Zelenskyy and Macron
The issue of SCALP’s licensed production was one of the topics discussed during the talks between the presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron during visit the Ukrainian leader to France. Following this, a detailed examination of the issue began, involving the French government and the rocket manufacturer.
«Discussions are currently ongoing with both the government and the company on this matter, and all the details are being finalised,» said Fyodorov. He added that progress had already been made in the negotiations, but the process remained complex due to issues relating to intellectual property, the organisation of production and legal procedures.
Negotiations with the United States
As well as France, Ukraine is continuing its dialogue with the United States regarding the provision of licences for the production of certain types of weaponry. Fyodorov noted that, following the agreements reached at the G7 summit, talks with American partners are continuing at the level of the National Security and Defence Council. According to him, the very fact that such consultations have begun is unprecedented.
What are SCALP missiles?
SCALP-EG — a Franco-British long-range air-launched cruise missile, the French equivalent of the British Storm Shadow. It is designed for high-precision strikes against well-protected targets, including command posts, ammunition depots, bridges, logistics hubs and other strategic facilities. Officially, the export version has a range of around 250 km, although certain variants are capable of striking targets at significantly greater distances. Ukraine is already using SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles to strike key military targets belonging to Russian forces.
