Britain will help Ukraine set up SCALP missile assembly: Burnham to announce decision in Kyiv

The UK has taken a step towards localising the assembly of SCALP long-range missiles in Ukraine. London has agreed to share classified information about British missile components needed by Ukraine and France to set up assembly lines on Ukrainian territory.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is due to announce the decision on 24 August during a visit to Kyiv, his first overseas trip as head of government.

Ukraine to be given classified information about SCALP

The British government has agreed to allow defence company MBDA to disclose classified information about British components of the SCALP long-range missile.

This should allow Ukraine and France to move forward with setting up local assembly lines and assembling missiles directly in Ukraine.

SCALP is the French version of the British Storm Shadow cruise missile. Both systems use common British and French technologies.

The UK government recalled that back in 2023, London became the first country to transfer long-range strike weapons to Ukraine. The new decision should be a continuation of this support.

Burnham arrived in Kyiv on Independence Day

Andy Burnham’s visit to Ukraine takes place on August 24, on the 35th anniversary of Independence. This is his first international trip since taking office as Prime Minister of the UK.

In Kyiv, Burnham is to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky, take part in Independence Day events and co-chair a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing”.

“Ukraine’s security is our security,” the British Prime Minister emphasized, assuring that London’s support for Kyiv will not weaken.

London continues to strengthen Ukraine’s long-range capabilities

The decision on SCALP will complement other British programs to develop long-range weapons for Ukraine. In particular, London is working on creating relatively inexpensive modern long-range systems as part of the Brakestop project.

The UK has remained one of Ukraine’s key partners since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. According to the British government, the total amount of financial commitments to support Ukraine is £25 billion, of which £16 billion is for military assistance.

The transfer of technological information on SCALP could be an important step for Ukrainian defense production, as it is no longer just about the supply of ready-made long-range missiles, but also about the prospect of their assembly directly in Ukraine.