Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Poland, and Sweden have agreed to collaborate on the development of a cost-effective long-range loitering munition with a strike radius exceeding 500 kilometers. The agreement, formalized through a letter of intent, falls under the European Long-range Strike Approach (ELSA) initiative and envisions a one-way attack drone designed for deep strikes on critical targets such as air defense networks and logistical infrastructure.
Named One Way Effector 500 Plus, the munition is planned to carry a 50-kilogram warhead. To keep expenses low, developers are considering the use of conventional 155mm artillery shells as explosive payloads, targeting a unit price in the five-digit range. The program will evaluate a common platform architecture capable of accommodating country-specific payloads, with production potentially distributed among member states to strengthen supply chain resilience.
Despite its low-cost focus, the system is expected to feature autonomous operation, enabling a single operator to control and deploy multiple munitions simultaneously without direct guidance.
The initiative reflects lessons drawn from the Ukraine conflict, where one-way attack drones such as the Iranian-designed Shahed have proven effective in striking infrastructure and air defense assets. This experience has prompted European militaries to accelerate similar programs.
MBDA’s One-Way Effector and Helsing’s HX-2 are among the leading projects in this space. France has already contracted MBDA for its system, with deliveries beginning in 2027, while Germany is anticipated to adopt the HX-2 for a mechanized brigade based in Lithuania. The MBDA effector offers a range of around 500 kilometers, whereas the HX-2 is designed for operations up to 100 kilometers.
Germany is also evaluating the ELSA munition for potential integration into a planned Multi-Domain Task Force set to be established by 2029. In addition to loitering munitions, the multinational effort includes ambitions to develop airborne early warning capabilities, air-launched strike systems, and European multiple rocket launcher solutions.
