Information has emerged suggesting that joint development of a new Mk2 modification for the Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG cruise missiles, produced by the United Kingdom and France respectively, could begin as early as 2026. According to these reports, the upgrade would provide the missiles with enhanced guidance, detection, and targeting capabilities.
The new modification is expected to include improvements to the guidance system, which currently combines GPS and TERCOM (terrain contour matching) during the cruise phase and an imaging infrared seeker in the terminal phase of flight.
Read more: Storm Shadow / SCALP to Be Upgraded as Paris and London Modernize Production
Other elements of the missile may also be affected by the upgrade. However, the overall design is unlikely to change significantly, as this would allow existing stockpiled missiles to be upgraded to the new standard, rather than requiring entirely new production.
At present, no detailed technical information has been published, nor have there been any official confirmations that development of the new modification will indeed begin this year. It therefore cannot be ruled out that the Mk2 upgrade remains at a conceptual stage or has not yet been formally approved. For now, confirmation and additional details from official sources are awaited.
It is worth noting that in summer 2025, a statement by the UK government announcing the resumption of production of these missiles also mentioned that newly ordered Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG missiles would be more capable, without providing further clarification. It is possible that this reference pointed specifically to the planned Mk2 modernization.
It should also be recalled that although the Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG cruise missiles were originally developed in the 1990s, missiles already in storage underwent a Mid-Life Refurbishment (MLU) program in 2017. This upgrade modernized the guidance system and ensured that the missiles would remain operationally relevant until 2032.
Recently, during the Topaze exercises in France, French forces practiced dispersing Rafale fighter aircraft to avoid a notional russian strike, followed by a simulated retaliatory attack using SCALP-EG cruise missiles.
It is also worth recalling that France has decided to block certain deliveries of Storm Shadow cruise missiles that it manufactures, although this issue involves several important nuances.
Read more: Pakistan Conducts First Test of Its Taimoor Cruise Missile With 600 km Range, Positioned as Counter to India's Storm Shadow / SCALP
