Ukrainian arms manufacturer Firepoint conducted the first flight test of the new FP-7.x interceptor missile, which was developed as a cheaper alternative to missiles from the US Patriot complex, the Financial Times reported.
The FP-7.x is designed to combat ballistic missiles and drones. Firepoint’s chief designer, Dennis Stillerman, described the tests as “very successful.”
A single FP-7.x missile costs about $700,000, while a single Patriot PAC-3 missile costs up to $3.8 million, according to 2026 U.S. Army budget estimates, Stillerman said.
Stillerman says mass production of the missile could begin as early as August if the company acquires the infrared homing head that Fire Point expects to purchase from Germany’s Diehl Defense. The first missiles could be ready by 2027.
FP-7.x is a missile for the Freyja anti-aircraft system. The remaining parts of the complex – radars for detecting and targeting air targets, as well as the control system – will be supplied to Ukraine by European partners.
Fire Point is one of the largest contractors for the Ukrainian military. It produces long-range attack drones FP-1 and cruise missiles FP-5 “Flamingo” (not yet mass-produced). Only isolated cases of Flamingo being used against Russian targets are known.
The Kyiv Independent newspaper wrote about Fire Point’s ties to Timur Mendich, co-owner of Kvartal 95 studio and friend of Vladimir Zelensky. Mendich is the main accused in the theft case at the Ukrainian state-owned company Energoatom. He left Ukraine before the start of large-scale searches in this case.