At the opening of the 2025 Paris Air Show, which runs from 16 to 22 June, the European company MBDA, a leading manufacturer of high-tech weapons, showed off a model of its new jet drone One Way Effector. This kamikaze drone, designed to overwhelm enemy air defense systems, was one of the key innovations of the exhibition. According to the company, the project is being implemented as part of a unique collaboration with a French car manufacturer and a drone manufacturer, which will allow for mass production. The presentation sparked a lively debate among military experts, especially in the context of plans to test the drone in real combat conditions in Ukraine.

One Way Effector is a single-use UAV designed for high-intensity conflicts. Its primary mission is to deplete enemy air defenses by forcing them to detect and destroy the drones, thereby revealing their positions and expending their ammunition. According to MBDA, the drone is equipped with a 40 kg warhead, making it powerful enough to pose a serious threat. It has a range of up to 500 km and a jet engine that enables it to reach speeds of around 400 km/h. It is navigated via GPS, simplifying control and reducing production costs by eliminating complex homing heads. It can be launched from both ground launchers and vehicles, increasing flexibility.

The One Way Effector is made possible by MBDA's innovative approach to integrating civilian technology. The partnership with a major French automaker, presumably Renault, will enable the company to produce up to 1000 drones per month, significantly exceeding the company's current production volumes of other weapons, such as the Mistral anti-aircraft missile (about 40 units per month). MBDA CEO Eric Beranger stressed that the lessons of the conflict in Ukraine have shown the need to quickly ramp up production of inexpensive but effective weapons. According to him, the involvement of the auto industry ensures not only mass production, but also a reduction in cost, which is essential to meet the growing demand for such systems.