Under €1 Million: Ukraine Pushes Boundaries With Flamingo Cruise Missile
The Ukrainian-made Flamingo cruise missile, developed by Fire Point, attracts attention for its competitive cost of under €1 million per unit.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to The Economist.
The Ukrainian private company Fire Point, which is behind the new Flamingo winged missile, was created in response to an urgent need for its own long-range deterrence systems.
The idea emerged at the end of 2024, when Ukraine unsuccessfully attempted to obtain American Tomahawk missiles. Fire Point engineers were inspired by historical models such as the German V-1 and the Soviet Strizh, replicating their design with an engine above the fuselage. The name Flamingo initially had an ironic undertone: the prototypes were even painted pink.
Much of the information about the missile comes from indirect sources — video clips and presentations of the FP 5 model at an exhibition in the UAE. It is not entirely clear how Fire Point is connected to the foreign companies that presented the development.
According to the manufacturer, more than 90% of the final assembly is carried out at secret facilities in Ukraine, the body is made of fiberglass, and the engine is based on the AI-25 turbofan from Motor Sich. It is reported that one missile is currently being produced per day, but they promise to increase the pace to seven.
“Developed so fast, and meeting Ukraine’s defence needs almost exactly, the missile seems too good to be true,” the statement follows.
Despite rapid development and ambitious statements, there are doubts surrounding Flamingo. Competitors suggest opaque financing and question its Ukrainian origin and exaggerated characteristics. The rocket costs about €1 million per unit—relatively cheap on a global scale, but quite expensive for Ukraine, which needs mass production.
At the same time, experts, including aviation specialist Kostyantyn Kryvolap, believe that the rocket could be an effective element of combined Ukrainian attacks capable of breaking through gaps in Russian defenses.
“Ukraine is renowned for its creative, combined attacks to overwhelm defences, and these will probably be exactly that. In time, Russia will suffer heavier destruction,” he said.
As The Gaze informed earlier, Ukraine officially unveiled the Flamingo cruise missile with a range of 3,000 km and announced the start of its serial production.