Ukraine Is Preparing a New Ballistic Missile for Combat Use

Ukrainian company Fire Point is nearing completion of work on the striking ballistic missile FP-7. At the same time, the manufacturer is assembling the first own solid-fuel engines for the cruise missile FP-5 "Flamingo" to get rid of dependence on limited stocks of old propulsion units.

Regarding the status of the two missile programs, Fire Point’s CEO Irina Terekh told Reuters. According to her, FP-7 has already undergone about 15 test launches and is now undergoing certification by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

FP-7 could be used for the first time in the fall.

Fire Point expects that certification of FP-7 will take another two to four weeks. After completing the procedure, the company plans to move to the first combat use of the missile.

An approximate timeframe named by Fire Point is the beginning of autumn 2026 year. Although this is the manufacturer’s plan, it depends on the results of certification and subsequent decisions of the Ministry of Defense.

Earlier, Military 24 reported that Fire Point is moving FP-7 testing to a new stage. Then co-founder Denis Shtilerman stated that the missile is being prepared not only for field launches but also for use against real targets.

FP-7 was created for strikes against ground targets.

FP-7 is a striking ballistic missile designed to hit ground objects. According to Irina Terekh, its architecture initially relied on Soviet solutions used in missiles for the S-300 and S-400 systems.

However, during development, the design was significantly changed. Fire Point states that the current FP-7 has only about 20% similarity to the Soviet missiles that became the starting point for the project.

The developers replaced parts of the electronics, control systems, and design elements. Earlier the company also reported the use of composite materials, which allow reducing the body mass.

Military 24 detailedly discussed the claimed characteristics of FP-7 and its differences from FP-9. According to data published by the manufacturer, FP-7 received a warhead with mass up to 150 kilograms and is intended to strike targets at medium range.

Certification will pave the way to production.

The completion of the tests does not automatically mean the start of mass production. The missile must undergo state procedures, after which it can be officially supplied to the Armed Forces.

Fire Point has already conducted about 15 test launches. That amount allowed checking the operation of the missile’s main systems, but the manufacturer does not disclose the results of each individual test.

First combat uses are to become the next stage of FP-7 validation. They will show how ready the missile is to operate outside controlled test-site conditions.

For the "Flamingo" they are building their own engine.

Parallel to this, Fire Point is working on a new propulsion system for the cruise missile FP-5 "Flamingo".

Previously, during production, the company used second-hand rocket engines. Irina Terekh compared their search to constantly inspecting depots of old aviation equipment, as suitable propulsion units are becoming increasingly scarce.

Because of the shortage, Fire Point decided to start its own production. At present, the company is assembling the first batch of 10 prototype engines.

After that, the propulsion units must undergo tests. Only after confirming the required characteristics can the company move to scale production.

Why Flamingo needs its own engine.

Dependence on old aviation engines limits the number of missiles Fire Point can produce. Even with hulls, control systems, and other components available, production pace depends on the availability of suitable propulsion units.

Having its own engine should remove this constraint. Fire Point expects that after successful testing they will be able to produce more Flamingo missiles.

Earlier, Military 24 wrote that the Flamingo’s design allows the use of different types of engines. This allows the manufacturer to change the propulsion system without a full redesign of the missile.

Fire Point wants to increase Flamingo output.

Flamingo cruise missiles have already been used to strike important military and industrial targets on Russian territory. According to Reuters, the missile struck several notable targets in 2026 year.

Fire Point previously stated that they produce at least several such missiles per day. Further increases in volumes were directly linked to the transition to its own engine.

Military 24 told in a piece about Flamingo precision strikes on Russian military facilities.

Thus, Fire Point simultaneously brings FP-7 closer to combat deployment and solves one of Flamingo’s main production problems. Successful certification of the ballistic missile and the launch of its own engine may allow the company to move from testing and limited batches to more stable serial production.