The FP-7.x interceptor missile is expected to cost less than one million dollars. How much this missile will cost and in what quantities it can be produced, Fire Point's CEO told in an interview with TWZ, reports UNN.
According to Iryna Terekh, Fire Point is conducting a closed development with the participation of two European companies and one more Ukrainian company. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to reduce the cost of the interceptor so that its price is below one million dollars.
"I think, given the expected price range of the seeker heads that we discussed with our partners, this is possible. Probably not from the first iterations, but definitely in serial production," Terekh said.
The interceptor missile will be integrated with an infrared seeker head produced by the German defense concern Diehl Defense. It is also possible to use a seeker from another manufacturer, but details of this agreement are not yet disclosed.
According to Terekh, technical integration work is currently underway, so it is too early to talk about exact completion dates, but the company hopes this will happen in the coming months. As Iryna Terekh explained, Fire Point is already ready for missile production, but currently everything depends on the speed and effectiveness of the technical integration of the seeker heads, as well as their accuracy. According to her, the manufacturers of this component are also undergoing such integration for the first time.
In addition, Terekh explained that the first iteration of the FP-7.x interceptor missile will be more similar in its characteristics to the Patriot PAC-2 missile than to the modified PAC-3 version.
"We plan to carry out the first interceptions using the warhead (fragmentation high-explosive target engagement). The Hit-to-kill interception method will be the next stage of development. Therefore, at first it will be more of an analogue of PAC-2, but with the possibility of more mass production and at a lower price," she explained.
Terekh also added that the company aims to produce 2,000 such missiles per year at the first stage, with the possibility of further scaling up production.
Reminder
The FP-7.x anti-ballistic missile became the basis for the implementation of the joint FREYJA air defense project with European partners.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that FREYJA has already united 10 European states and 12 leading defense companies and remains open to new participants.
The head of state also emphasized that Ukraine is capable of ensuring the production of the interceptor missile and launcher. European partners are expected to contribute modern radars, sensors, guidance systems, and other components necessary for creating a full-fledged anti-ballistic system.
Separately, Zelenskyy warned that Russia will try by any means to hinder the implementation of FREYJA, because the emergence of a joint European anti-ballistic system will not only strengthen the continent's security but also create a new powerful player in the global defense market.