MBDA MdCN

The MdCN, short for Missile de Croisiere Naval or Naval Cruise Missile, is a French turbojet-powered subsonic cruise missile for land-attack operations from ships and submarines. It began as SCALP Naval, from a French defence ministry requirement for a more potent cruise missile able to strike strategic and military targets from long stand-off ranges, complementing the air-launched SCALP-EG. MBDA's French division began studies in 2002 and full development started in 2006. Because it is not launched from an aircraft, the MdCN uses a booster to break out of the ship and gain initial speed. It entered operational service with the French Navy in 2017 on the Aquitaine class frigates, and later on the Barracuda class submarine Suffren, and it was fired in anger against Syria in April 2018.