The interceptor FP-7.x will cost less than 1 million dollars including the seeker head
The FP-7.x interceptor missile is expected to cost under one million dollars. How this missile will be produced and in what quantities was discussed in an interview with TWZ by the CEO of Fire Point, the company developing the missile, reports UNN.
According to Iryna Terekh, Fire Point is conducting a confidential development with the participation of two European and one Ukrainian company. The ultimate goal of this work is to reduce the cost of the interceptor, making its price below one million dollars.
“I think, considering the expected price range of seeker heads that we’ve discussed with our partners, it’s achievable. Likely not from the first iterations, but certainly in mass production,” Terekh stated.
The interceptor missile will be integrated with an infrared seeker head manufactured by the German defense concern Diehl Defense. The use of a seeker head from another manufacturer is also possible, but details of this agreement are not yet disclosed.
According to Terekh, technical integration work is currently underway, making it too early to discuss precise completion timelines. However, the company anticipates this will occur in the coming months. Iryna Terekh explained that 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. She mentioned that the manufacturers of this component are also undergoing such an integration for the first time.
Furthermore, Terekh clarified that the first iteration of the FP-7.x interceptor missile, in terms of its characteristics, will be more akin to the Patriot PAC-2 missile rather than the modified PAC-3 version.
“We plan to conduct the first intercepts using the warhead (fragmentation-high explosive destruction of the target). The Hit-to-kill interception method will be the next stage of development. Therefore, initially, it will be more of a PAC-2 analog, but with the potential for more mass production and at a lower price,” she explained.
Terekh also added that the company aims to produce 2,000 such missiles annually at the initial stage, with the possibility of further scaling up production.
Reminder
The FP-7.x anti-ballistic missile has become the foundation for the joint air defense project FREYJA with European partners.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that FREYJA has already united 10 European countries 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 the launch platform. European partners are expected to contribute modern radars, sensors, guidance systems, and other components necessary for creating a complete anti-ballistic system.
Zelenskyy separately warned that Russia will try by all means to hinder the implementation of FREYJA, as the emergence of a joint European anti-ballistic system will not only enhance the continent’s security but also create a new powerful player in the global defense market.