France Taps MBDA to Deliver Cost-Effective One-Way Attack Drone
France’s defense procurement agency (DGA) has awarded MBDA a contract for the development and production of a sovereign long-range one-way attack drone designed to saturate enemy air defenses.
Unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2025, the new One-Way Effector (OWE) uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) is scheduled for initial delivery to the French Armed Forces in mid-2027.
Developed by MBDA in partnership with Aviation Design and other key industry players, the combat UAV is intended to balance mass, performance, and affordability, addressing the operational demands of high-intensity warfare.
Initial production is expected to reach around 100 units per year, with scalability built in to surge output to more than 1,000 units per month, according to MBDA.
“The future of deep strike probably lies in mixed salvo capabilities, combining saturation effect by cheap and rustic effectors and penetration effect by precise and powerful high-end vectors,” France’s Chief of Staff of the Army, General Pierre Schill, was quoted as saying in January 2025.
One-Way Effector
The wing-shaped platform features a wingspan of 3.3 meters (11 feet) and a length of 3 meters (10 feet).
Armed with a 40-kilogram (88-pound) warhead, the drone can strike targets at ranges exceeding 500 kilometers (311 miles) while flying at speeds of up to 400 kilometers (249 miles) per hour.
Positioned between costly cruise missiles and low-cost loitering munitions, the OWE is designed to compel air defense systems to engage, forcing them to reveal their positions for detection and follow-on strikes by other long-range weapons.
The concept is informed by lessons from the war in Ukraine, particularly Russia’s use of Iranian-designed Shahed drones to saturate and strain Western-supplied air defense systems.
Fast-Track Development
The program is being pursued under an accelerated development timeline, reflecting the urgency of restoring mass and depth to long-range strike inventories.
MBDA highlighted that the project moved from announcement to first test firing and initial contract signing in under a year.
“This unprecedented timeframe has been made possible notably by the DGA’s innovative “Defence Drone Pact,” based on a cooperative and agile approach with industrials,” the company stated.
“The swift development of the OWE reflects MBDA’s collective dedication and innovative spirit, highlighting our ability to rapidly address emerging military needs, especially in light of evolving conflict doctrines.”
