MBDA eyes a long-range strike missile boom in Europe

COLOGNE, Germany — Pan-European missile maker MBDA is positioning itself as the prime candidate for developing a long-range European strike missile meant to elevate the continent’s deterrence posture following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war there.

Calls for such a weapon comes from the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA) initiative, a French initiative to which Germany, Poland and Italy signed on at the NATO summit in Washington last week.

With an envisioned range of more than 1,000 kilometers, the missile would provide, in sizable numbers, what the German defense ministry calls a “deep precision strike” capability sought by NATO. The multinational initiative will entail “joint development and procurement,” according to a German defense ministry readout published online following a meeting last month of the German, French and Polish defense ministers.

While MBDA isn’t saying that the company is part of the contractor considerations, executives have unveiled a new missile that would fit the bill.

The firm presented its Land Cruise Missile at the Eurosatory defense show near Paris in June, touting the system as a “unique European sovereign solution” for a land-based deep-strike capability with stealth and terrain-following capabilities. The LCM is based on the naval cruise missile in service on French frigates and attack submarines, with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers.

The missile maker welcomed the letter of intent signed in Washington for a precision deep-strike capability as “a new step for European industry” in a July 12 post on the social network X, saying it has “unrivaled ability” in Europe to develop such capabilities. MBDA added it’s the only company that has the technology, expertise and cross-border partnerships to deliver European-designed deep-strike systems.

In addition to the French naval cruise missile, MBDA manufactures the French-British Scalp/Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile and Germany’s Taurus missile, which have shorter ranges. The company is the largest European missile maker by a margin, with 2023 revenue of €4.5 billion and an order book of €28 billion at the end of last year.

The French government has repeatedly cited MBDA as a successful model for European defense cooperation. The company is a pan-European joint venture between Airbus, the U.K.’s BAE Systems and Italy’s Leonardo, and local units in the U.K., France, Germany and Italy provide those countries’ governments with an ability to shield some national defense interests.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Polish Ministry of National Defence told Defense News that Poland is in dialog with its allies regarding the development of capacities in all operational domains, including long-range strike capabilities.

“One of such initiatives is the ELSA program which is the subject of international analyses and consultations which may also bring further recommendations and decisions on this matter,” the spokesperson said. “The development of the ability to conduct long-range precision strikes is now widely recognized as a key element of the response to negative changes in the international security environment. This capability is not only of operational importance, but also of strategic importance, constituting an important component of the defense and deterrence posture.”

The ministry representative did not disclose whether Poland’s defense industry could be involved in the program’s development, and what kind of capabilities it could contribute to the joint effort. The country’s defense sector is dominated by state-owned defense giant PGZ. In cooperation with foreign partners, the group is leading Polish industrial efforts to enhance the military’s artillery and missile capacities, among others.

“The decision on Poland’s possible accession to this program will be based, among others, on whether its final scope will be consistent with our capacity development needs,” the spokesperson said.

The U.S. will start deploying long-range fires units to Germany in 2026, according to a joint statement from both the U.S. and German governments released last week during the NATO summit. The capabilities will include the SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles and “developmental hypersonic weapons,” the statement details.

Rudy Ruitenberg in Paris and Jaroslaw Adamowski in Warsaw, Poland, contributed to this report.