The FP-5 "Flamingo" rocket, as well as Ukrainian ballistic missiles, are dependent on Western components. This was stated in an "LIGA interview" by the co-founder and chief designer of Fire Point, Denys Shtilerman, while emphasizing that the company is fighting this problem, reports UNN.
The company, in particular, is working on localizing the production of one of the foreign elements of the missiles.
"Currently, we have a single part in both the ballistic missile and the FP-5 that is not produced in Ukraine. And this is very important. Now we are doing our work to manufacture this device in our country. But this is very high-tech equipment. It will take time," Shtilerman said.
At the same time, he added that a weak point in the production of the "Flamingo" has become the dependence on external regulation of the import of turbojet engines. The company underestimated the complexity of this issue and is working on solving it in two ways.
First, the firm has already learned to work with bureaucracy in the USA and Europe, so it obtains export permits quite quickly. Second, the company has undertaken the creation of its own engine.
"And most importantly: we are developing our own engine for the 'Flamingo'. We have already developed it. Now we are assembling the first 10 test samples – and then we will gradually switch to our own engine," Shtilerman added.
The FREYJA air defense system, which is a joint project with Europeans, is also dependent on Western components. The project is based on the FP-7.x interceptor missile developed by Fire Point. But to create and deploy a full-fledged air defense system, a whole range of elements are needed, which must be provided by European partners. This includes radars, seeker heads, datalinks, etc.
According to Shtilerman, European bureaucracy has now begun to move faster. And the agreements signed with partners open the way to obtaining the necessary technical documentation. At the same time, he is concerned about the vacation season that is beginning in European countries - this could again slow down the development of anti-ballistic systems.
The chief designer of Fire Point emphasized that the interceptor missile they developed has already been tested at maximum accelerations and maneuvers it can perform to intercept ballistic targets.
"Further – everything depends on the speed of integration of our European partners," Shtilerman explained.
According to him, during the integration of all system elements, the need for refinements may arise.
"And until we start integrating, we cannot say anything. Until we have access to the technical documentation, we do not know. There may be a need for some modernization, or 'fine-tuning' of the seeker head (seeker head - ed.), or the radar," Shtilerman explained.