France is preparing to restart production of its Naval Cruise Missile (NCM), also known as Scalp Naval, to strengthen long-range precision strike capabilities amid rising global security tensions. The missile has equipped FREMM frigates and Suffren-class submarines since 2017, but production ended in 2021 after initial procurement targets were reduced due to budget constraints. Recent geopolitical developments, including the Ukraine conflict and instability in the Middle East, have highlighted the importance of maintaining larger stockpiles of strategic precision weapons. The NCM features a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and combines inertial navigation, GPS, radio altimeter guidance, and infrared terminal homing for highly accurate strikes against hardened land targets. The move aligns with France’s broader effort to rebuild domestic missile production capacity and reinforce strategic deterrence capabilities.
