The UK has confirmed that Royal Navy Type 26 frigates will field Stratus, a new European cruise missile family developed by MBDA to deliver long-range land-attack and anti-ship strike from standard naval launch systems. Designed as a two-variant platform—Stratus LO for low-observable penetration and Stratus RS for high-speed rapid strike—the program emphasizes flexible employment from surface combatants, with Mk 41 VLS integration marking the clearest step toward fleet adoption. While many performance details remain undisclosed, Stratus highlights Europe’s move toward a survivable, multi-role strike platform optimized for contested environments and aligned with early-2030s naval modernization timelines.
