01 September 2023

Ukraine conflict: Kyiv presses for Taurus cruise missiles

by Gareth Jennings & Raghuraman C S

An image Tweeted by the Ukrainian MoD calling for the transfer of Taurus cruise missiles to complement the Storm Shadow and SCALP EG systems already supplied. (Ukrainian Ministry of Defence)

Ukraine is pressing its allies to transfer Taurus (Target Adaptive Unitary and dispenser Robotic Ubiquity System) cruise missiles to complement the Storm Shadow and SCALP EG systems already supplied.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence (MoD) posted artwork on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on 31 August showing the Taurus flanked by the Storm Shadow and SCALP EG, with the caption, ‘We can only win together!' This was accompanied with the message, ‘Invited. Awaiting. Plans for use in place'.

This tweet followed earlier calls for Germany to transfer the Taurus as the UK has done for the Storm Shadow and France for the SCALP EG, the Ukrainian MoD and Ministry of Foreign Affairs having earlier launched a social media campaign under the banners of ‘Free the Taurus' and ‘Taurus for Ukraine'.

As noted by Janes Weapons: Air Launched , the Taurus KEPD 350 family of precision‐attack cruise missiles were developed by Taurus Systems, a joint venture between MBDA Deutschland and Saab Dynamics.

The baseline Taurus KEPD 350 missile is a 350 km (the ‘350' in its designation) to 500 km-class weapon designed for use against hardened and buried targets with its Multi-Effect Penetrator Highly Sophisticated and Target Optimised (MEPHISTO) penetrator warhead and intelligent fuzing system. Once launched, the missile, which is powered by a small turbofan engine, flies at extremely low altitudes down to 30 m at speeds of up to Mach 0.9. Range tests proved penetration levels in excess of 5 m in layered reinforced concrete/soil test structures.

Ukraine is pressing its allies to transfer Taurus (Target Adaptive Unitary and dispenser Robotic Ubi...

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