Recently, the Ukrainian press reviewed a new type of cruise missile with unique characteristics. It’s apparently a joint development of the Ukrainian arms industry, the company Fire Point, and a defense company jointly owned by Britain and the UAE.
The new cruise missile, the “Flamingo,” was developed on Ukrainian soil under a veil of secrecy and has several unique features. Its estimated operational range (there are doubts regarding the execution of a test at such a distance) is about 3,000 km; it weighs 6,000 kg; its wingspan is 6 meters; its flight endurance is about 4 hours or more; and its warhead weight ranges between 1,000–1,150 kg. Its maximum speed is 950 km/h, and its cruising speed is also high at 850–900 km/h. Navigation is by basic inertial navigation or satellite navigation without ground corrections. With the help of various sensors, during the final cruising stages and before hitting the target, fine adjustments can be made, resulting in high accuracy: The radius within which 50% of the launched missiles will fall (CEP) is 14 meters.
The Flamingo missile has clear advantages. Its operational range and warhead weight are double those of its American counterpart—the “Tomahawk” cruise missile. Another significant factor is the cost of the Flamingo, which is five times lower than that of the Tomahawk currently in operational use. The Flamingo is characterized by its simple design while adhering to the principle of “availability and effectiveness at the expense of technological sophistication.” In a speech on August 20, 2025, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced that serial production had begun and called the Flamingo “the best missile” in his army’s possession.
The current production rate is about 30 missiles per month, with plans to increase output to 210 per month by October 2025. At the beginning of September, the Danish government announced that a subsidiary of Fire Point would begin, on December 1, 2025, to produce solid rocket fuel in Denmark for the Flamingo.
As with any new weapon, the Flamingo also has drawbacks. Its large dimensions make it a relatively easy target for early detection or interception by fighter jets or air defense missiles. In addition, it lacks stealth capabilities and requires a relatively long launch preparation time, between 20–40 minutes. Ukrainian assessments are that about 80% of the cruise missiles will be intercepted by Russian air defense, but the 20% that penetrate Russia’s defenses will cause significant damage.
Politically, the independent development and production of Flamingo missiles grant the Kyiv government new degrees of freedom and broad maneuvering capability even vis-à-vis the Trump administration, in order to achieve gains on the battlefield in the current conflict. The Flamingo missiles also free Ukraine from the political and legal restrictions that until now have characterized the use of Western weapons systems and allow it to strike deep into Russian territory.
Ukraine demonstrates that it is capable of independently supplying its most essential armament needs, no longer relying exclusively on Western assistance. If the Flamingo launches succeed in inflicting heavy damage on the Russian military and its defense infrastructure, Ukraine will position itself alongside technologically leading countries and establish its status as an independent and powerful military actor. Such success could contribute to changing its image in the eyes of NATO and the European Union—no longer a dependent state asking for help but an equal partner, standing on its own feet, with an independent and deterrent missile shield in its hands.
Recently, the Ukrainian press reviewed a new type of cruise missile with unique characteristics. It’s apparently a joint development of the Ukrainian arms industry, the company Fire Point, and a defense company jointly owned by Britain and the UAE.
The new cruise missile, the “Flamingo,” was developed on Ukrainian soil under a veil of secrecy and has several unique features. Its estimated operational range (there are doubts regarding the execution of a test at such a distance) is about 3,000 km; it weighs 6,000 kg; its wingspan is 6 meters; its flight endurance is about 4 hours or more; and its warhead weight ranges between 1,000–1,150 kg. Its maximum speed is 950 km/h, and its cruising speed is also high at 850–900 km/h. Navigation is by basic inertial navigation or satellite navigation without ground corrections. With the help of various sensors, during the final cruising stages and before hitting the target, fine adjustments can be made, resulting in high accuracy: The radius within which 50% of the launched missiles will fall (CEP) is 14 meters.
The Flamingo missile has clear advantages. Its operational range and warhead weight are double those of its American counterpart—the “Tomahawk” cruise missile. Another significant factor is the cost of the Flamingo, which is five times lower than that of the Tomahawk currently in operational use. The Flamingo is characterized by its simple design while adhering to the principle of “availability and effectiveness at the expense of technological sophistication.” In a speech on August 20, 2025, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced that serial production had begun and called the Flamingo “the best missile” in his army’s possession.
The current production rate is about 30 missiles per month, with plans to increase output to 210 per month by October 2025. At the beginning of September, the Danish government announced that a subsidiary of Fire Point would begin, on December 1, 2025, to produce solid rocket fuel in Denmark for the Flamingo.
As with any new weapon, the Flamingo also has drawbacks. Its large dimensions make it a relatively easy target for early detection or interception by fighter jets or air defense missiles. In addition, it lacks stealth capabilities and requires a relatively long launch preparation time, between 20–40 minutes. Ukrainian assessments are that about 80% of the cruise missiles will be intercepted by Russian air defense, but the 20% that penetrate Russia’s defenses will cause significant damage.
Politically, the independent development and production of Flamingo missiles grant the Kyiv government new degrees of freedom and broad maneuvering capability even vis-à-vis the Trump administration, in order to achieve gains on the battlefield in the current conflict. The Flamingo missiles also free Ukraine from the political and legal restrictions that until now have characterized the use of Western weapons systems and allow it to strike deep into Russian territory.
Ukraine demonstrates that it is capable of independently supplying its most essential armament needs, no longer relying exclusively on Western assistance. If the Flamingo launches succeed in inflicting heavy damage on the Russian military and its defense infrastructure, Ukraine will position itself alongside technologically leading countries and establish its status as an independent and powerful military actor. Such success could contribute to changing its image in the eyes of NATO and the European Union—no longer a dependent state asking for help but an equal partner, standing on its own feet, with an independent and deterrent missile shield in its hands.