MBDA’s Scalp Cruise Missiles for French Navy

Scalp launch from FREMM
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On December 29, 2006, MBDA has received a development and production contract from the French DGA defence procurement agency for 250 SCALP Naval land attack missiles. Scalp Naval/ MdCN cruise missiles are longer-range variants of the stealthy, air-launched Storm Shadow, with an expected reach of over 1,000 km/ 540 nautical miles. They are slated to equip the French Navy’s FREMM multi-mission frigates (200 missiles)* and new SSN Barracuda Class submarines (50 missiles). The value of the contract is EUR 910 million (currently about $1.2 billion).

MBDA is jointly owned by BAE Systems (37.5%), EADS (37.5%) and Finmeccanica (25%). Production of the SCALP Naval missiles will be carried out in Selles Saint Denis, MBDA’s central region site in France. The contract is made up of 4 tranches, with the first tranche coming into force with this notification, and covering the delivery of 50 missiles for the FREMM frigates in 2013.

• = The land attack version of FREMM was shelved, but some French ships will carry the required Sylver A70 launchers.