The Ukrainian defense company Fire Point plans to collaborate with German partners to develop a European ballistic missile defense system, aiming to increase Europe’s independence from the United States.
According to Fire Point CEO and CTO Iryna Terekh, “Security guarantees should not be written in ink, but in steel.” Fire Point is working with German firms Diehl Defence and Hensoldt on the “Freyja” project to create a European alternative to the American Patriot system. This effort comes as eight other nations, in addition to Germany, recently formed a coalition with Ukraine regarding missile defense.
Terekh stated that Fire Point aims to reduce the cost of intercepting a ballistic missile to under one million dollars. Even if this target is not fully reached, the interceptor would still be significantly cheaper-five to ten times less costly-than current solutions. The company’s short-term goal is to prove the successful interception of a ballistic missile by the end of 2027.
“Our goal is the complete technological and strategic independence of Europe-not under the protection umbrella of the United States, but autonomously,” she emphasized. “This is not a step against the USA, but a natural process of maturation.”
Fire Point, founded in 2022, gained recognition primarily through the Flamingo cruise missile. According to the company, the Flamingo has a range of 3,000 kilometers and is used for attacking deep targets in Russian territory. Terekh noted that they are partially replacing the Taurus cruise missile, which Germany has not supplied, with the Flamingo. When asked if the Flamingo could perform some of the functions Ukraine expected from the Taurus, she responded positively. She further commented that the inability of Ukraine to receive the Taurus served as a motivating factor in the development of the Flamingo.
