SCALP Missile

Current Context : Recently, in Operation Sindoor, Indian Air Force deployed SCALP missiles launched from Rafale jets to strike deep terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, following the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians.

About SCALP Missile

• Full Form: Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée (Autonomous Long-Range Cruise Missile System)
• Alternate Name: Known in the UK as Storm Shadow
• Developed By: Jointly by the UK and France (MBDA)

Features

• Type: Air-launched cruise missile (ALCM)
• Range: ~500 km
• Warhead: 450 kg BROACH warhead (Blast/Fragmentation + Penetration)
• Weight: 1,300 kg
• Speed: Subsonic (~Mach 0.8)
• Guidance: INS/GPS + Terrain Matching + IR terminal guidance
• Stealth: Designed for low radar cross-section
• Accuracy: High precision using pre-loaded image-matching software
• Launch Platform: Indian Rafale fighter jets

Significance

• Capable of penetrating hardened targets like bunkers.
• Operates under all-weather, day-night conditions.
• Ideal for deep-strike missions across heavily defended zones.
• Enhances India’s strategic air-to-ground strike capability.