Ukrainian defense company nears launch of two supersonic ballistic missiles
Illustrative photo of a ballistic missile (Getty Images)
Ukrainian company Fire Point, the manufacturer of the Flamingo cruise missile, is in the final stage of developing two supersonic ballistic missiles — FP-7 and FP-9, according to Reuters.
Fire Point co-founder and chief designer Denys Shtilierman said the smaller FP-7 missile will have a range of about 300 km and could be used for military purposes for the first time “in the close future.” He described it as an analogue of the American short-range ballistic system ATACMS.
The larger FP-9 missile, capable of carrying an 800-kilogram warhead over a distance of up to 850 km, is expected to soon move to the testing stage. Shtilierman added that the emergence of such a missile could potentially put Moscow within the strike range of Ukraine’s ballistic arsenal.
According to him, strikes on Moscow, which is protected by one of the most powerful air defense systems in the world, could cause a “mass shift in the Russian mind and the mind of top guys in Russia.”
Senior researcher at the Norwegian Defence University College Fabian Hoffmann noted that, despite Russia’s experience in intercepting ATACMS missiles, wider use of ballistic missiles could overwhelm its air defense system, which has already suffered losses as a result of Ukrainian strikes.
Earlier, Shtilierman said that the Ukrainian FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic missiles are intended to be analogues of the American ATACMS, but will cost at least twice less.
According to him, the FP-7 has already undergone testing, while the FP-9, with a range of up to 800 km, is being prepared for tests.
