US, UK discuss lifting missile data restrictions for Ukraine

The US and UK governments are discussing allowing Ukraine to deploy British cruise missiles backed by US navigational data to conduct long-range strikes inside Russian territory, according to people familiar with the matter, reported from Bloomberg.

The issue is part of conversations that have taken place over the past few days as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks in London and Kyiv, the people said. The US and UK this week signaled that they’re open to a request from Ukraine to bolster its ability to carry out deep strikes in Russia, and President Joe Biden is expected to discuss the possibility when Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits the White House Friday.

As Kyiv pushes for more powerful Western weapons to hit military sites on Russian territory, officials have spoken about whether the White House could grant permission for Ukraine to use British Storm Shadow missiles in cross-border attacks, the people said.

Storm Shadows are precision-guided, air-launched missiles with a firing range in excess of 250 kilometers (155 miles). They fly close to the terrain at high speeds before reaching their targets, using a system combining so-called inertial navigation with Global Positioning System and terrain-reference navigation, according to a fact sheet on the website of their manufacturer MBDA.

The GPS system of satellite navigation is operated by the Pentagon, although it’s also used for public purposes such as online directions for drivers.

When used in complex operations, Storm Shadow missiles are often assisted by US-provided data that helps them map terrain with a high level of accuracy, according to the people familiar, who spoke on condition of anonymity discussing operational details that aren’t public.





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