Ukraine plans to present a prototype of the FREYJA anti-ballistic system in the first half of 2027 - Aloyan
Kyiv • UNN
Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council David Aloyan stated that the FREYJA prototype is planned for the first half of 2027. The system is intended to become a cheaper alternative to the American Patriot.
Ukraine expects to present the first prototype of the European anti-ballistic system FREYJA as early as the first half of 2027. This was stated by Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine David Aloyan, who coordinates the project's implementation, reports UNN.
"Since we are working within such tight timeframes, we have an ambitious goal: to have a ready MVP (minimum viable product) by the first half of next year. This is a prototype that will already be able to demonstrate the first practical results," Aloyan said in a comment to Reuters.
According to him, the first meeting of the international committee, which will assess the scope of funding for research and development, is expected to take place soon.
Ukraine and nine other European countries on July 13 signed a declaration on the creation of the Anti-Ballistic Coalition and the implementation of the FREYJA project. Leading European defense companies have joined the development of the system. Ukraine is represented by the company Fire Point, which manufactures Flamingo long-range strike missiles. It was Fire Point that developed the FP-7.x interceptor missile and its launcher, which will become part of the European air defense system.
As the publication writes, today Ukraine remains dependent on American Patriot air defense systems, which are virtually the only system capable of effectively intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. At the same time, supplies of missiles for these systems are limited due to production shortages, long manufacturing times, and political factors. Against this backdrop, Russia has recently significantly intensified the use of ballistic weapons during attacks on Ukrainian cities.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that the use of the FREYJA anti-ballistic shield could be seen within a year. According to the concept of Fire Point, the developer of FREYJA, the anti-ballistic system is intended to become a more affordable alternative to the American Patriot air defense system. This interceptor costs half a million dollars without the seeker, i.e., the homing head, and with the seeker will cost 750-800 thousand, compared to several million dollars for the American counterpart.
From European partners, Ukraine expects technological support, including modern radars, sensors, guidance systems, and electronics. Defense companies HENSOLDT, Thales, Diehl Defence, Saab, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Weibel, Leonardo, MBDA, Eurosam, Safran, and Destinus have already joined the project.
The concept of the air defense system is similar to a Lego set, as it is created on the principle of an open architecture, allowing the integration of components from different manufacturers.
As David Aloyan explained, participating countries will be able to independently choose the configuration of the system, using, for example, radars of their own production without the need to change the entire system.
"The overall logic of this system is that it is an open architecture. If Denmark says: 'I want the FREYJA system with a Danish-made Weibel radar' – great. If Sweden says it wants the system – also no problem," explained the Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
The possibility of creating a separate fund or a special body that will accumulate contributions from partner states and ensure stable funding for the project is also being considered, the publication writes. According to Aloyan, the active participation of defense companies alongside governments should minimize bureaucratic procedures.
"The coalition must be practical, not political," he concluded.