Fire Point: the Ukrainian Patriot against Russian and Iranian ballistic missiles

KYIV – In a context of growing global instability, the Ukrainian defense industry is preparing for an unprecedented technological leap. Fire Point, the company already known for the Flamingo cruise missile, has announced its intention to launch a new air defense system by the end of 2027. The goal is ambitious: to create an economical and accessible alternative to the U.S. Patriot system, currently a pillar of Western defense but increasingly difficult to obtain.

The cost challenge: interceptions under one million dollars

The core of the project led by co-founder and chief designer Denys Shtilierman is economic efficiency. Shooting down a ballistic missile today often requires the use of two or three Patriot interceptors, each costing several million dollars.

"If we manage to reduce the interception cost to less than 1 million dollars, it will be a real 'game changer' for air defense solutions," Shtilierman told Reuters.

Fire Point is currently in talks with European giants in radar technology and communication systems, including Hensoldt, SAAB, Thales, and Weibel, to bridge the gaps in areas where the Ukrainian company does not yet have internal expertise.

FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic missiles arrive: Moscow in the crosshairs

Despite the focus on defense, Fire Point continues to expand its offensive capability. The company is in the final stages of developing two supersonic ballistic missiles:

• FP-7: With a range of about 300 km, similar to the American ATACMS system, ready for imminent deployment.
• FP-9: A heavy carrier capable of delivering an 800 kg warhead up to 850 km. This would put the Russian capital, Moscow, within the direct range of the Ukrainian arsenal.

According to Shtilierman, striking at the heart of Russian power would provoke a "radical change in the mindset of the Kremlin elites".

Investments from the Gulf and space ambitions

Fire Point's technological success has attracted international capital. The company is awaiting approval from the Ukrainian government for an investment of 760 million dollars from a Middle Eastern conglomerate (identified by the media as the Emirati Edge Group).

The operation, which would value Fire Point at about 2.5 billion dollars, would not only finance military production but also pave the way for a strategic collaboration to create a space launch terminal in the United Arab Emirates, aimed at launching constellations of European satellites into orbit.

Despite the optimism, the road is not without obstacles. Fire Point currently produces:

• Hundreds of long-range drones per day (cost: €50,000 each).
• Three Flamingo missiles per day (cost: €600,000 each).

The production of Flamingo missiles still suffers from some bottlenecks, mainly related to engine supply. The situation is expected to unlock in October, with the start of mass production of "in-house" engines and the opening of a propellant plant in Denmark.