Arms manufacturer Diehl is in talks to build Ukrainian missiles in Germany
Kyiv • UNN
Diehl Defence plans to produce Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo missiles in Germany. The flight range of this weapon exceeds three thousand kilometers.
Helmut Rauch, CEO of the German arms manufacturer Diehl Defence, announced plans to expand cooperation with the Ukrainian defense company Fire Point during the ILA Berlin Air Show. According to the Financial Times, the discussions concern the possibility of producing FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles in Germany, UNN reports.
According to the head of Diehl Defence, the company is "optimistic and positive" about the cooperation. Meetings to discuss the partnership are scheduled for the coming weeks.
"I believe that if we are creating a new product, it is quite logical to have it also in Germany or other countries,"
Diehl, which manufactures the Iris-T air defense system, signed a technology agreement with Fire Point in April but had not previously disclosed any details. In a comment to journalists, Rauch stated that the company is ready to offer its seeker head to the Ukrainian partners.
The Financial Times emphasizes in its article that the joint production of "Flamingo" cruise missiles in Europe would be the most high-profile example of how Ukraine's growing defense expertise and frontline experience are in increasing demand among NATO member states. The idea of strengthening cooperation emerged as Germany seeks alternatives to Tomahawk missiles, which were supposed to be deployed in Germany this year along with a battalion of American soldiers. US President Donald Trump canceled this Biden-era decision amid tensions with Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding the war in Iran. Moscow's extensive use of ground-based missiles in Ukraine, as well as the deployment of long-range weapons in Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, has prompted European countries to purchase or develop their own similar capabilities, which they consider vital for deterring Russian aggression.
As a reminder
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated during his last visit to Kyiv that "the technological leaps here in Ukraine are impressive" and that possibilities for joint ventures to develop armaments, including long-range drones, air defense systems, and electronic warfare tools, are being explored.
The stated flight range of the "Flamingo" missile is over 3,000 kilometers. According to Denys Shtylerman, co-founder and chief designer of Fire Point, the enterprise currently produces about 200 missiles per month and is ready to scale production given stable orders and funding.