The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has ordered long-range, remote-controlled munitions from the European defence company MBDA and Aviation Design.
The contract, finalised last month, involves the joint production of a Shahed-style one-way attack drone known as the One Way Effector.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The DGA expects to receive the first deliveries for the armed forces by mid-2027.
Neither MBDA nor the DGA have disclosed the value of the contract or the number of drones ordered.
In a statement, MBDA said: “This strategic agreement highlights MBDA’s ability to accelerate and innovate, strengthening our portfolio to remain fully aligned with operational realities and the evolving needs of the armed forces, while contributing to the reinforcement of national and European sovereignty.”
The One Way Effector is being produced through collaboration with Aviation Design as well as other industry partners.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe drone powered by a turbojet engine will feature a wingspan of 3.3 metres (m), a length of 3m, and carry a 40kg warhead.
It will be capable of exceeding 500 kilometres (km) in range at speeds of up to 400 km/h and will be launched from ground-based systems.
The drone is pre-programmed prior to launch and does not receive guidance during flight.
The drone was launched during the 2025 Paris Air Show in June, with its first test flight taking place in September 2025 ahead of demonstrations for the DGA.
MBDA reported that it took less than a year to progress from announcing the project to conducting its first test firing and finalising the initial contract.
The company attributes this rapid timeline to what it called an innovative “Defence Drone Pact” initiated by the DGA.
“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,” MBDA added.
