Ukraine to Get Aussie Surveillance Planes, French SCALP Missiles

Australia and France have extended their support to Ukraine by agreeing to send surveillance aircraft and SCALP missiles respectively to help the war-torn country.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a news conference in Berlin on Monday that Australia’s E-7A Wedgetail early warning and airborne control aircraft will be based in Germany for six months along with as many as 100 crew and support personnel.

Based on a Boeing 737-700 aircraft, the Wedgetail is modified to combine long-range surveillance radar, secondary radar and tactical voice and data communications systems to provide airborne early warning and control. It is capable of unlimited long-range deployment with in-flight refueling.

The Wedgetail will operate only in European airspace avoiding Ukrainian, Russian or Belarusian skies.

Meanwhile, France said it will transfer long-range SCALP missiles to Kyiv.

"We decided to provide Ukraine with new missiles capable of striking deep into the rear," French President Emmanuel Macron said on the first day of the NATO Summit.

SCALP was developed in the 90s by Matra and British Aerospace and then manufactured by MBDA in two versions: SCALP for France and Storm Shadow for the British.

SCALP can hit targets up to 500km away. The missiles travel at a speed of over 1000 km/h at an altitude of 30km. GPS controls their flight path.