Kyiv’s new long-range FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile promises low-cost mass production and stealth capabilities designed to challenge Russia’s air defenses.
Ukraine has introduced what defense officials describe as one of its most ambitious domestically built weapons to date — a long-range, radar-evading cruise missile that Kyiv hopes can reshape its battlefield strategy against Russia.
The FP-5 “Flamingo,” developed by Kyiv-based manufacturer Fire Point, is being rolled out under a £400 million ($523 million), state-supported program aimed at expanding Ukraine’s ability to strike deep behind Russian lines. The six-ton missile carries a 1,150-kilogram warhead and can travel up to 3,000 kilometers, putting critical oil refineries, command centers and logistics hubs across Russia within reach.
Costing roughly £390,000 ($513,000), per unit, the Flamingo is significantly cheaper than many Western systems, including the US Tomahawk. Fire Point says the low price point allows for rapid mass production, with a target of delivering 210 missiles per month by early 2026. Funding comes from Ukrainian defense contracts and international partners, including contributions from the European Union’s £5 billion ($6 billion), drone initiative.
The system’s most prized asset, according to its developers, is its low-altitude flight path. Using terrain-following navigation, the missile is designed to travel at just 30 to 40 meters above the ground — a height intended to keep it below the detection threshold of many ground-based radars.
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At a recent panel organized by Fire Point, company co-owner Denys Shtilerman said high-precision elevation mapping will be crucial to maintaining this stealth profile. “The only chance to see it will be if there’s an interceptor in the air with a new high-quality radar,” he noted. Ukrainian officials have since circulated footage highlighting the weapon’s low-observable characteristics.
Founded in 2022 by a team of non-military technologists from the gaming and architecture sectors, Fire Point has rapidly expanded into one of Ukraine’s most influential defense firms. The company says it has contributed to a majority of Ukraine’s televised long-range strikes, including the November 2025, attack on Russia’s Novorossiysk oil refinery.
A key factor in keeping production costs down has been the refurbishment of Soviet-era jet engines recovered from scrap sites, according to Chief Technical Officer Iryna Terekh.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised the Flamingo as “the most successful missile we have,” with analysts at the Centre for European Policy Analysis suggesting it could eventually force Russia to divert significant air-defense resources.
While Kyiv continues to face supply and ammunition pressures, officials say the FP-5 could offer a long-term strategic advantage — and potentially become an export-ready system once the war ends.