The new European ballistic missile promises to travel 2,500 km in just 15 minutes

The new European ballistic missile promises to travel 2,500 km in just 15 minutes

Europe wants to strengthen its own long-range attack capabilities with a new family of ballistic missiles developed by ArianeGroup, Soframe and Thales. The system, called B-Strikehas been presented at Eurosatory 2026 and seeks to cover an increasingly evident need for European forces, be able to attack distant targets without depending on foreign systems and with weapons capable of complicating interception by advanced defenses.

The B-Strike family will initially consist of two versions. The first will have a scope of up to 1,000 kilometers and the second will raise that figure to 2,500 kilometers. According to preliminary estimates, the first variant could complete its flight in less than 10 minuteswhile the second would take about 15 minutes in reaching your goal.

ArianeGroup maintains that the development of this new line is based on the experience accumulated in French strategic programs such as the ballistic missile M51one of the pillars of the country’s nuclear deterrent. The company proposes the B-Strike as a solution for missions that range from tactical attack to long-range operations with strategic value.

The most striking part of the program is in the possible configuration of the 2,500 kilometer variant. Being a ballistic missile, it is not propelled during the entire journey. The engine acts only in the initial phase of flight, when it accelerates the weapon and sets it on a long-range trajectory. After, Once that propulsion phase is exhausted, the charge continues by inertia towards the target.

The hypersonic option would change that final phase of flight. ArianeGroup and its partners envision that the longest-range version could incorporate a hypersonic glider, known as HGV by its acronym in English. This vehicle would not be the complete missile, but rather the charge that is separated after the initial impulse. Once released, the glider advances at more than Mach 5, can modify its course during the approach phase, fly within the atmosphere and make it more difficult for radars and anti-missile systems to calculate its point of impact. That is why it is considered an option that is more difficult to intercept than a conventional reentry warhead, although also more complex to develop and test.

The launcher planned for these missiles is the X-Firedeveloped by Soframe in collaboration with Thales and mounted on the platform Daimler Truck Zetros. This choice aims to a mobile ground systemwith greater ease to disperse and operate from different positions.

The two missiles will complement the FLP-t 150an ammunition with a range of 150 kilometersdeveloped by ArianeGroup in collaboration with Thales. This missile system is designed to meet the needs of the French forces in high intensity combat. In May 2026, they carried out the first test firing of this system on the island of Levant, with support from the French defense procurement agency. Thales was responsible for the complete system, including the launcher and fire control, while ArianeGroup developed the propulsion and guidance.

The companies involved assure that they are ready to move towards the testing phase and want present the program to the French DGA. The proposal fits with the effort of several European countries to regain autonomy in deep strike capabilities, an area that for years has largely depended on US systems.

The M51 precedent helps explain why ArianeGroup has a central role in the project. This submarine-launched ballistic missile measures 12 metersweighs more than 50 tons and can reach Mach 20 during atmospheric reentry. It is a key piece of the French nuclear deterrent. The B-Strike belongs to another category, but takes advantage of part of that experience to transfer it to long-range land weapons and, in its most ambitious version, with a possible maneuverable hypersonic charge.