Storm Shadow

An Anglo-French air-launched, low-observable cruise missile designed for deep-strike attacks on hardened and high-value targets well beyond air-defense range. Known as SCALP-EG in French service, it has seen combat use over Iraq, Libya, Syria and Ukraine.

Range

560 km

Combat weight

1,300 kg

💲 Publicly cited export unit price estimate

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.: 0.8 Mach

25th pct in class
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 560 km

75th pct in class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.: 450 kg

75th pct in class
Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.: BROACH tandem-charge penetrator
Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.: INS/GPS, Terrain-reference navigation, Imaging infrared terminal homing

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 5.1 m
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 1,300 kg

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Turbojet

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.: $3,000,000

0th pct in class
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 3,000

13th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 8

38th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

Frequently asked questions

What is the range of the MBDA Storm Shadow? +

The MBDA Storm Shadow has a maximum range of 560 km.

How much does the MBDA Storm Shadow weigh? +

The MBDA Storm Shadow has a combat weight of 1,300 kg.

What is the MBDA Storm Shadow used for? +

The MBDA Storm Shadow is a missile typically used for deep strike.

How many countries operate the MBDA Storm Shadow? +

The MBDA Storm Shadow is operated by 8 countries.

How much does the MBDA Storm Shadow cost? +

The MBDA Storm Shadow has an approximate unit cost of 3,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.