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The Storm Shadow Missile is a stand-off air-launched cruise missile (SCALP) designed to destroy hardened and buried targets from long distances with phenomenal accuracy.

NATO Ordnance Code: K157A1

It weighs 1,300kg, is 5.1m long and has a width of approximately 0.5m, with wings extended, 3m.

The intial cost of the missile per piece (around 900 were produced in the first phase) was around $1.5 million US Dollars. Each missile is rumoured to be valued at more than $5 million US Dollars when cost of development, maintenance in storage and inflation is accounted for.

Using a Turbomeca Microturbo TRI 60-30 turbine engine it has a range that is variously reported but generally accepted to be between 250km and 300km, although many sources suggest up to 560km. This stand-off range allows the UK to attack targets without entering the engagement zone of anti-aircraft weapons.

Once released, wings deploy and using its GPS/INS and Terrain Profile Matching (TERPROM) navigation system guide the missile to the target area at a low level using terrain avoidance and masking. On the final approach, the nose cone is jettisoned and the infrared sensor guides the missile to the impact point, performing terminal manoeuvre as required.

This image recognition terminal guidance system is extremely accurate, there have been reports of Storm Shadow missiles following each other down the first entry hole. This accuracy provides mission planners with many options, especially when seeking to exploit target weaknesses or avoid surrounding areas.

The mission planning software allows every detail of the flight to be pre-programmed.

Apart from extreme accuracy, the second element of Storm Shadow’s effectiveness is the sophisticated warhead it carries, the Bomb, Royal Ordnance Augmenting CHarge (BROACH).

BROACH uses a precursor penetrator charge followed by a follow-through main charge. Combined with an advanced fuze (like Paveway IV, from Thales) it has proven to be devastatingly effective.

BROACH is also in service on the US Joint Stand-Off Weapon, AGM-154C.

Storm Shadow is in service with France, the UK, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE (Black Shaheen variant) and Egypt (Black Shaheen variant). It is also deployed in Ukraine for use in the Ukraine War with Russia.