France’s defense procurement agency (DGA) has awarded MBDA a major contract to develop and manufacture a sovereign long-range one-way attack drone, reinforcing the country’s push to restore mass and depth in long-range strike capabilities. The program centers on the One-Way Effector (OWE) uncrewed aerial vehicle, which was publicly unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2025 and is scheduled to enter service with the French Armed Forces by mid-2027.
Developed by MBDA in collaboration with Aviation Design and other domestic industry partners, the OWE is engineered to balance affordability, performance, and large-scale production for high-intensity warfare. MBDA expects initial output to reach approximately 100 units annually, with the industrial design allowing rapid expansion to more than 1,000 drones per month during crisis or wartime conditions.
The wing-shaped UAV measures 3.3 meters in wingspan and 3 meters in length and carries a 40-kilogram warhead. It is capable of striking targets at ranges beyond 500 kilometers while cruising at speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour. Positioned between expensive cruise missiles and lower-end loitering munitions, the OWE is intended to saturate enemy air defenses, forcing radar activation and interceptor launches that expose defensive networks to follow-on strikes.
According to MBDA, the concept draws directly from lessons observed in the Ukraine conflict, particularly the use of massed one-way drones to exhaust and reveal air defense systems. The program is proceeding on an accelerated timeline, with the company noting that the project advanced from public announcement to initial contract signature and first test firing in less than a year.
