Britain is moving closer to the next phase of its Stratus missile program, a new family of cruise and anti-ship weapons expected to eventually replace the Storm Shadow. According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the project is approaching the demonstration stage, with the first full-scale trials scheduled for 2028.

Development of the main components has already been completed. The program has reached the point where the airframe, propulsion system, warhead and guidance package have all been developed.

Stratus is being designed for use from several types of platforms. The missile is expected to be integrated with Typhoon and Rafale fighter jets, as well as naval vessels, including Type 26 frigates.

Its exact range has not yet been disclosed. The developers have only indicated that the new weapon is intended to significantly outperform both Storm Shadow, which has a stated range of 560 kilometers, and Harpoon, capable of striking targets at distances of up to 220 kilometers.

MBDA is leading the project. Britain is not expected to be the only customer, with other European NATO countries, including France and Italy, also showing interest in purchasing the new missiles.

The program was originally known as the Future Cruise / Anti-Ship Weapon, or FC/ASW. Its initial concept called for two separate weapons: the TP15 cruise missile and the RJ10 anti-ship missile. These were later redesignated Stratus-LO, short for Low Observable, and Stratus-RS, or Rapid Strike.

The cruise missile version has also undergone a major redesign. In particular, engineers substantially reworked its fuselage. This variant is intended to become the eventual successor to Storm Shadow.