New weapon systems for European defense presented at Eurosatory: anti-radar cruise missiles and armed drones that can act together. The watchword is independence from US production
The way of waging wars changes and therefore the weapons also change. Among the novelties of the exhibition dedicated to Eurosatory Defense (Paris, 15-19 June), in the exhibition space of the multinational Mbda the model of the new cruise weapon system “Land Cruise Missile System” was shown, in acronym Lcm Mk-2. Its design has been known since 2024, but only now has it been possible to see that it is actually a more advanced variant of the «Missile de Croisière Naval» also called Scalp Naval, from 2017, which however can now also be launched from land platforms, primarily from the new transportable and multiple launcher (4 cells), currently under construction, which should be ready by 2029.
The forces of the NATO countries needed a new improved naval missile, and the new version presents a range that now exceeds a thousand kilometersa new infrared automatic target search system (IIR seeker) and new generation anti-radio interference (anti-jamming) equipment, to operate in environments in which the signals of satellite navigation systems are rendered useless.
The peculiar characteristics of the new system
From the shape we can see a notable work carried out on the shapes of the front part of the missile (nose), optimized to reduce the reflection of the radio waves emitted by radars and therefore be less detectable (stealth function), and several new mechanical solutions adopted on missiles of more recent construction compared to the old Scalp. The first customer of the Lcm Mk-2 will be the French Navywith which MBDA will sign a contract by the end of this year and expects its entry into service in 2030.
As always, the French tend to want to do things on their own, so even though Mbda is a multinational (the partners are also the Italian Leonardo and the British Bae System), it is only Mbda France that developed the variant for launch from a mobile land station, which however has always declared itself open to collaborations from other nations. One of the reasons may be the desire to join the defined program (for now an initiative). European Long Strike Approach (in acronym, Elsa), launched two years ago by France, Italy, Germany and Poland, the United Kingdom and Sweden, to create a common cruise missile, launchable from the ground, with a range of at least two thousand kilometers.
The new horizons of European Defense
The European need arises from the fact that Europe does not have long-range attack options capable of ensuring deterrence, a gap that countries are trying to fill with Elsa. Also because, last May, the United States announced that it was renouncing the deployment of the Tifone launchers, capable of launching long-range Tomahawk missiles, in Germany, where they had previously been planned. During the same event, Mbda also presented other effectors, including a jet-engine drone called Deluge, previously known as the “One-Way Effector”, designed to saturate enemy air defenses by confusing the radars that detect and select targets.
Deluge can carry an artillery shell inside the fuselage and was ordered by the French army. The first production versions should therefore be delivered in the first half of 2027. Finally, Mbda also presented its cheap Crossbow cruise missile designed to carry out precision strikes against targets such as missile launchers, radar systems and command posts. Particularly interesting is the fact that the three systems (Lcm Mk-2, Deluge and Crossbow) can operate together with the Deluge to saturate enemy defenses and the other two programmed to hit priority targets.
