France Signs Deal for MBDA One-Way Effector Long-Range Drones

The French Armed Forces have become the first confirmed customer of the One-Way Effector, a new long-range loitering munition developed by MBDA .

According to a report by Defense Express on January 23, the contract was signed with France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), though the quantity of drones and total contract value remain undisclosed.

The deal marks a rapid procurement decision, as the One-Way Effector underwent its first trials only in September 2025 and was initially unveiled in June 2025 during the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget. The system was developed in collaboration with Aviation Design and other industry partners, with a focus on scalable, low-cost mass production.

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MBDA has stated its readiness to produce up to 1,000 units per month, leveraging facilities from an unnamed automotive manufacturer. While the name wasn’t disclosed at the time, recent reports from France suggest that Renault may be involved in drone production—although for a separate UAV program called Chorus, developed by Turgis Gaillard, aimed at creating systems similar to Iranian Shaheds.

The One-Way Effector features:

• Wingspan: ~3 meters;

• Takeoff weight: ~100 kg;

• Warhead: Up to 40 kg (including standard 155mm artillery shells);

• Range: ~500 km;

• Speed: ~400 km/h;

• Guidance: Jamming-resistant satellite + inertial navigation.

According to MBDA, the drone is designed with affordability and mass production in mind—utilizing off-the-shelf components, minimizing the supply chain burden, and simplifying assembly (e.g., ramp launch without booster, modular pre-launch assembly).

The missile maker emphasized that the One-Way Effector would cost a “tiny fraction” of a conventional cruise missile, though no dollar estimates were publicly disclosed.

According to Defense Express, MBDA previously stated that, pending contracts and final trials, serial production could begin in 2027. It is currently unclear whether the signed French contract will accelerate or alter this timeline.

With growing European interest in scalable strike capabilities and underused industrial capacity—particularly in the automotive sector—France’s early commitment may signal a broader shift toward integrating civilian production lines into defense manufacturing.

Earlier, it was reported that during the World Economic Forum in Davos, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reached an agreement with the United States regarding the supply of PAC-3 missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot air defense systems.

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