France’s defense procurement agency (DGA) has awarded MBDA a contract to develop and produce a sovereign long-range one-way attack drone intended to overwhelm and saturate adversary air defense systems.
Known as the One-Way Effector (OWE), the uncrewed aerial vehicle was unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2025 and is slated for initial delivery to the French Armed Forces by mid-2027.
The system is being developed by MBDA in cooperation with Aviation Design and other industrial partners, with a focus on achieving an optimal balance between mass production, operational performance, and cost-effectiveness to meet the requirements of high-intensity conflict.
According to MBDA, initial production is expected to reach approximately 100 units annually, with built-in scalability enabling output to surge beyond 1,000 units per month if required.
The winged platform measures 3.3 meters in wingspan and 3 meters in length. It carries a 40-kilogram warhead and is capable of striking targets at ranges exceeding 500 kilometers while flying at speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour.
Positioned between expensive cruise missiles and low-cost loitering munitions, the OWE is designed to force enemy air defenses to engage, exposing their locations for subsequent detection and follow-on strikes by other long-range systems.
The concept draws heavily on lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine, particularly the use of Iranian-designed Shahed drones by Russia to saturate and stress modern air defense networks.
The program is being executed on an accelerated timeline, underscoring the urgency of restoring mass and depth to France’s long-range strike capabilities. MBDA noted that the effort progressed from public announcement to first test firing and initial contract award in less than a year.
