After successful FP-7 tests, Fire Point co-owner Shtilerman urged Europe to accelerate the implementation of the Freya project
Kyiv • UNN
Chief Designer and co-owner of Fire Point, Denys Shtilerman, called on European partners to accelerate the pace of cooperation for the implementation of the Freya pan-European anti-ballistic shield. Meanwhile, the company is already taking concrete steps toward the project's realization: the first successful tests of the FP-7 missile, which will serve as the primary means of intercepting ballistic targets in the new system, took place recently.
Denys Shtylerman, chief designer and co-owner of the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point, called on European partners to significantly accelerate the pace of cooperation for the implementation of the Freya pan-European anti-ballistic shield. The project is already being called a cheaper alternative to the Patriot. According to Shtylerman, the successful implementation of the project could allow Ukraine to cover its own defense budget solely through the sale of system licenses to other countries. Read more about what Freya is, how it works, and why Ukraine could for the first time enter the pan-European security architecture not as a recipient of aid, but as an equal technological partner, in the UNN report.
"I want the Europeans to start moving very quickly. If everything moves fast, we can perform the first interceptions as early as this year. I'm not asking them to run like we do – where you get permission from top officials the next day. But if everything happens as is usual for Europe – where you have to spend 8-9 months to get a single permit – unfortunately, nothing will happen,"
Denys Shtylerman's interview for Alesya Batsman's YouTube channel
These words were spoken immediately after an event long-awaited in Ukraine – Fire Point conducted the first flight tests of the FP-7 missile in surface-to-air missile system mode. Under the control of a ground operator, the missile reached the calculated interception point set by ground radar. The tests were successful.
"For the first time, we tested the FP-7 as an air defense missile. We rehearsed that under ground control, it should reach the interception point assigned to it by the radar. The tests have just concluded, and they were successful,"
What is "Freya" and why does Europe need it?
The Freya project is a pan-European anti-ballistic shield being developed by the Ukrainian company Fire Point in cooperation with Germany, France, Norway, and Sweden. In fact, it is an attempt to create a cheaper and sovereign analog of the American Patriot SAM system, without dependence on external control.
The system's main weapon is the FP-7.x interceptor missile: length 7.25 m, speed 1500-2000 m/s. According to the developers' design, it will be capable of intercepting Iskander-class ballistic missiles. The use of composite materials allows for a significant reduction in the weight and cost of the product, while the Image Infra-Red seeker is intended to ensure resistance to heat flares and high precision in hitting targets.
A key feature of Freya is its so-called open architecture. This means that no manufacturer or supplier country will be able to remotely disable the system. According to him, Ukraine is selling not only security but also the independence of that security.
"Any buyer, any country that purchases it, will be confident that neither the manufacturer nor the selling country will ever be able to turn off this system,"
The price issue: Freya is six times cheaper than Patriot
A single ballistic missile interception by the Patriot system costs at least $6 million. Shtylerman sets a target goal to keep it under $1 million, and ideally down to $500,000. A launcher for four missiles, according to the developer's estimate, will cost about $150,000.
"The system will be cheap, it will be battle-proof. As soon as we start intercepting Iskanders and Kinzhals flying into Ukraine, we will be able to supply it very quickly to a large number of countries,"
Aviation expert Kostyantyn Kryvolap confirms the realism of these ambitions.
"This missile is made of composite materials, so the casing is much lighter. We are a bit short on solid fuel, but Fire Point is building a plant for its production in Denmark. Therefore, if you put a proper seeker into this missile, organize proper communication with the command vehicle, and integrate it with SAAB Giraffe 8A/4A, Thales Ground Master 400, or Hensoldt TRML-4D radars – all of this can be easily implemented into the Freya project SAM system; you just need to write some software according to the same protocol. A seeker from Diehl Defense, which produces IRIS-T, can be installed in this missile. Illumination radars can be made by Leonardo Kronos Land. The command vehicle – from the Norwegians at Kongsberg FDC. It all comes together. You just need to write the software to link it all, and that's it, the complex is ready,"
Why the delay: big market players and the realities of war
An additional factor that may influence the pace of the project's implementation is opposition from major players in the arms market. As Kryvolap explains, the market for air defense and missile defense systems is comparable in volume to the aviation market.
"Ukraine can become a significant player in this segment. The Americans will be pushed out of this market,"
He considers the fact that the US, for the first time in history, granted Poland preliminary permission for the licensed production of PAC-3 MSE missiles – specifically after the emergence of Freya – to be a sign of resistance.
"This is the main sign that the Americans will strongly oppose the Freya project,"
However, while major arms market players protect their interests, Ukraine lives in a different reality. In recent weeks alone, Russia has launched massive strikes on Ukrainian cities using Iskander ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and Shahed kamikaze drones. Each such attack is another argument that Ukraine's own ballistic interception system is not a matter of prestige or market competition, but a matter of survival.
The President is "for," Europe understands there is no alternative
Despite the obstacles, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally supports the project.
"I am constantly pushing this idea, which is very difficult because no one wants to have strong competitors. I am constantly pushing the idea of Ukrainian ballistics and Ukrainian anti-ballistics,"
Signals are also coming from Europe. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen publicly acknowledged that Ukraine is capable of producing weapons faster, more creatively, and smarter than other European countries – even while in a state of active war.
If there are no new external obstacles on the path to implementing the Freya project, Ukraine could for the first time enter the pan-European security architecture not as a recipient of aid, but as its architect.
As a reminder
Recently, drones produced by the Ukrainian company Fire Point struck a number of targets deep in the Russian rear, including an oil terminal in Saint Petersburg and warships. Satellite images confirmed the consequences of the attack, and the General Staff of Ukraine reported a strike on one of the largest oil terminals in the Baltic region.