Fire Point took the first step towards military success in 2022, when the production of drones began to counteract attacks by the Russian Shahed. Initially, the company employed only 15 people and production took place in a garage. Today, as “Le Figaro” emphasizes, the Kiev-based company employs over 2,000. employees.
“Le Figaro” emphasizes that developing a racket similar to Flamingo usually takes 15 to 20 years. Fire Point created it in just two years, which is an impressive result. The company currently declares the production of 50 missiles per month, with a plan to increase this number to 200 pieces by the end of 2025. The Flamingo missile has already been used nine times in attacks on Russian targets.
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Technologically, Flamingo is distinguished by a hull made of carbon fiber, which reduces costs compared to more expensive materials such as titanium. Nthe drive is a twin-flow turbojet engine, referring to Soviet designs, which allows the rocket to reach a speed of about 900 km per hour.
Read also: Ukrainian Flamingo missile. A new weapon that could change the course of the war
The cost of one rocket is 500,000. dollars, which makes it much cheaper than the French-British SCALP, which costs $2 million.
Controversies and challenges
Fire Point's technical director, Iryna Terek, noted in an interview with “Le Figaro” that that Flamingo is not a “game changer” in war. She emphasized that no weapon can end the conflict, but cooperation between the private sector and the authorities made this project possible..
However, controversy has arisen around Fire Point. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is investigating possible overpricing of drone parts and the number of machines delivered to the army. When asked by Le Figaro about these allegations, company representatives described them as rumors and assured full cooperation with NABU.
Aviation expert Valery Romanenko from the Ukrainian Aviation Museum pointed out the technical flaws of the Flamingo. He noted its size and the altitude at which it operates, which make it a relatively easy target for Russian air defense..
Read also: Major attack on the Russian Flamingo base
Romanenko noted that to break through Russian defenses, it will be necessary to massively increase missile production.
“Our air defense intercepts 90 percent. Russian missiles, it can be assumed that the situation is similar on the Russian side” – emphasized the expert.
