Ukrainian Firm Develops Cheaper Patriot Alternative

Ukrainian drone and missile manufacturer Fire Point has secured agreements with 13 European defense companies to supply radar, guidance and other systems for its Freyja missile defense project.

CEO Iryna Terekh told Reuters that the agreements were nearly complete and that Fire Point had begun integrating the various components, including surveillance and tracking radars, guidance systems and a command center. The company aims to achieve its first successful interception of a ballistic missile by mid-2027.

Ukraine currently relies mainly on US-made Patriot systems to intercept ballistic missiles, but global shortages of interceptor missiles have left it exposed. Fire Point says its FP7.X interceptor should cost less than €1m ($1.2m), around one-quarter to one-sixth of the price of a Patriot missile.

The project uses an open architecture that allows components from different European manufacturers to be exchanged. Fire Point is also finalizing certification of the attack version of its FP7 missile, which it plans to deploy for the first time in early autumn. The larger FP9 ballistic missile, which the company says could reach Moscow, is expected to enter combat use in late autumn.

(Reuters, mja)