MBDA combining mass with range in One Way Effector, reveals Fulgur VSHORAD details

A half-scale, pre-demo prototype of MBDA's One Way Effector on display at the Paris Air Show 2025. (Janes/Tom Barton)

Responding to lessons learned from the ongoing war in Ukraine, MBDA has unveiled its One Way Effector (OWE), designed for saturation attacks against high-value targets.

The jet-propelled, delta-winged munition is guided by both global navigation satellite services (GNSS) principally designed to hit fixed points or areas with an inertial measurement unit (IMU), providing redundancy against jamming. It is jet engine-powered with a top speed of 400 km/h, a maximum range of 500 km, and a 40 kg warhead.

Launched in salvos from rails, the expendable OWE has been designed to fly in swarms intended to target high-value assets including enemy air-defence systems, a company spokesperson told Janes . “That way, you can use up enemy air-defence missiles and overwhelm air defences, freeing up airspace to follow up with higher-value munitions”, the spokesperson added.

According to the spokesperson, the OWE fulfils French Armed Forces requirements for a low-cost munition capable of being produced in massive quantities.

To this end, MBDA confirmed it remains in discussions with an undisclosed automotive partner in France to mass-produce up to 1,000 units per month.

The spokesperson was unable to disclose the designer of the airframe but could confirm MBDA was the design authority as well as being responsible for guidance, propulsion, and warhead subsystems.

Development of the OWE started in December 2024 as an internally funded effort, but MBDA confirmed to Janes that discussions remained ongoing with the French Ministry of Defence regarding the future of the munition.