SCALP-EG cruise missiles in Ukraine
SCALP-EG missile on a Su-24 bomber. Photo Telegram / BMPD
Recently, the Kiev regime received a number of SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles from France, and the first episodes of their use are already being reported. As is the case with many other foreign-made samples, Ukraine puts on this weapon high hopes, but they will not come true. The Russian air defense has gained the necessary experience in dealing with such targets, and the threat from them should not be overestimated.
Ranged Assistance
Since last winter, foreign partner countries of the Kyiv regime have been discussing the possibility of providing it with long-range missile systems of various types. In particular, the British leadership allowed the dispatch of Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles. At first glance, then everything was limited only to talk, but in fact, preparations for such deliveries started. Not later than the beginning of May, British ALCMs arrived in Ukraine.
Shortly thereafter, the French leadership expressed its readiness to transfer SCALP-EG missiles to Ukraine, which are minimally different from Storm Shadow products. The final decision on the supply was not officially announced at that time, but the French army began to prepare missiles for shipment. These processes apparently took several weeks.
On July 11, President Emmanuel Macron officially announced that France is transferring new long-range weapons to Ukraine, which will allow strikes to greater depths. At the same time, the type of such products, their quantity, etc. he did not name. However, the French press immediately clarified that we are talking about the SCALP-EG ALCMs that appeared in previous reports and statements.
SCALP-EG on a Dassault Rafale fighter. Photo MBDA
On the same day, details were revealed by Reuters. His source in French diplomatic circles confirmed that it was the SCALP-EG missiles that would be delivered. 50 products of this type will be shipped. Another source noted that some of these missiles have already been delivered to Ukraine. All this means that Paris actually made a decision on deliveries no later than May, and the latest official statements only "legalized" the shipment of weapons that had already begun.
On August 6, at one of the Ukrainian airfields, events were held on the occasion of Air Force Day, which were attended by the top leadership of the Kyiv regime. Within the framework of the holiday, an exhibition of modern weapons of the "Povitrynye Forces" was held - for obvious reasons, mostly imported. In particular, the French SCALP-EG rocket was openly shown for the first time.
The product was demonstrated together with the Su-24 front-line bomber - on a pylon under the fixed part of the wing. Out of love for cheap effects, the rocket was marked with its designation in the colors of the French flag, the Ukrainian trident with the Eiffel Tower and the combined silhouettes of the Su-24 and Mirage 2000 aircraft. The guests of the event left slogans and autographs on the rocket. Can all these events, slogans, etc. to influence the results of the use of a rocket is a rhetorical question.
Application attempts
The Ukrainian Air Force began to use Storm Shadow ALCMs in the tenth of May. The first launches were successful, and literally a couple of missiles were able to break through to their targets. However, then the Russian air defense learned to detect and repel such attacks in a timely manner. To date, the number of Storm Shadows intercepted has many times exceeded the number of those that have reached the target.
In the twentieth of June, at the site of the fall of another imported rocket, a unit was found with the marking of the manufacturer MBDA France. Because of this, a version appeared about the appearance in the Kyiv regime and the use of SCALP-EG missiles - although there were still a few weeks left before the official announcement of their delivery. However, apparently, the fragments found belonged to the Storm Shadow rocket. MBDA also assembles such products from units manufactured in different countries, incl. issued by its French branch.
The air intake of a downed SCALP-EG missile, August 2023. Photo by Telegram / BMPD
On August 6, the Ukrainian Air Force tried to attack the Chongar bridge between the Kherson region and Crimea with imported cruise missiles. Some of the flying ALCMs were successfully intercepted. On the wreckage of one of them, a plate with the name of the manufacturer, MBDA France, was again found. In addition, there was a production date - "01-2023".
As far as is known, the production of Storm Shadow missiles for the UK has already been discontinued, while the French modification SCALP-EG is still in the series. In addition, there is an export production. All this suggests that it was the SCALP-EG missiles that were used on the Chongarsky bridge, and one of the last batches.
It is clear that the Kiev regime will continue to use British and French cruise missiles. According to various data and estimates, he has at least several dozen Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG products, as well as about 15-20 carrier aircraft in the form of Su-24. In addition, there is a theoretical possibility of adapting other aircraft, but their number is small.
Threat Features
Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG (Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée - Emploi Général) is an air-launched cruise missile designed for use by tactical aviation against distant ground targets. The joint Anglo-French project of a promising missile was developed from the first half of the nineties, and at the beginning of the XNUMXs, the finished missile was put into service. In the future, missiles of both modifications were repeatedly used in exercises and in real operations.
The SCALP-EG ALCM is based on a composite airframe with characteristic contours that reduce radar visibility. An elongated fuselage was used, on which a wing deployable in flight is attached. The total length of the product is 5,1 m with a fuselage width of 630 mm and a wingspan of 3 m. Starting weight is 1300 kg.
The warhead of the rocket. Photo Telegram / BMPD
The missile is equipped with a Microturbo TRI 60-30 turbojet engine. It provides high subsonic flight speed and a range of up to 550 km. The export version of the rocket, in accordance with the accepted restrictions, should fly only 300 km.
A combined control and guidance system is used. Throughout the trajectory, the rocket's autopilot uses inertial and satellite navigation. In addition, there is a TERCOM system that compares the underlying surface with a reference map of the area. At the final stage of the flight, an infrared homing head is turned on, comparing the appearance of the target with the one loaded into memory.
Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG are equipped with a BROACH (Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge) warhead weighing 450 kg. It includes a shaped charge for breaking through obstacles and the main high-explosive high power. It is argued that such a warhead is capable of effectively hitting various structures and buildings, incl. fortified. High fragmentation and high-explosive impact is also provided.
Experience gained
Not so long ago, the enemy had high hopes for British Storm Shadow missiles, but Russian air defense quickly learned to shoot down such missiles. The French SCALP-EG products are practically no different from Storm Shadow, and their prospects are clear and obvious. At the same time, special attention will be paid to the fight against flying foreign-made ALCMs and the suppression of their further use.
Fragments of a French product with the corresponding markings. Photo Telegram / BMPD
The use of foreign weapons can and should be prevented. To do this, our army strikes at airfields and ammunition depots. In addition, the identification and destruction of front-line bombers capable of carrying foreign missiles, both in the air and at airfields, is of great importance.
From the point of view of air defense means and systems, the SCALP-EG missile is a medium-sized subsonic low- or medium-altitude target with reduced radar visibility. Russian anti-aircraft systems and systems of various types are capable of detecting, tracking and hitting such objects. Storm Shadow missiles have been repeatedly intercepted both by Syria and as part of the current Special Operation. The same is to be expected with the French version of such an ALCM.
With clear perspectives
Thus, another foreign partner handed over quite modern air-to-ground aircraft weapons to the Kyiv regime. The resulting rockets have already begun to be used and even brag about their first successes. However, recent events show that such optimism is excessive and unjustified.
France sent only fifty SCALP-EG missiles to Ukraine, and the prospects for this batch are already clear. The Ukrainian Air Force will have time to use a certain number of such missiles, and most of them will be shot down and will not solve the task. The rest of the products will be destroyed along with warehouses or vehicles and will only damage the Ukrainian military infrastructure.
In general, a very interesting situation is emerging. Together with foreign missiles, the Kiev regime does not receive any new opportunities that can change its situation. At the same time, Great Britain and France are reducing their own arsenals of aviation weapons, which are already not the largest. In the light of the changing military-political situation, not only in Europe, but also in other regions, all this looks, at least, interesting.
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