The Fire Point solid rocket fuel plant in Denmark has turned out to be a much more complex and expensive project than the company initially estimated. Instead of around €50 million, it could cost €150 million or more, and the launch has been pushed back by about a year.
The Fire Point solid rocket fuel plant in Denmark has turned out to be a much more complex and expensive project than the company initially estimated. Instead of around €50 million, it could cost €150 million or more, and the launch has been pushed back by about a year.
This is reported by DOU.
This happened because the original plan was to use an existing building. But due to bureaucratic and safety requirements, Fire Point ended up having to build a new factory from scratch. The project is being handled by Fire Point’s subsidiary, Rocket Technology, based in Denmark. About 100 people are currently involved in the construction. About 15 are in management, the rest are contractors.
When the enterprise is operational, the team will become much larger. Fire Point plans to hire about a hundred engineers and administrative staff. And about 200 more people directly for production. Currently, Fire Point Rocket Technology is looking for, in particular, a specialist in chemical processes and a manager in this area.
The company says that the shortage of solid rocket fuel is a problem not only for Ukraine, but also for the whole of Europe. The Danish plant should initially meet the needs of Fire Point itself, and later the company wants to supply fuel to other manufacturers. In April, Iryna Terek, CEO of Fire Point, in particular, stated that with the planned capacity, the company could potentially cover the entire current European shortage of such fuel.
The new Fire Point ballistic missiles, the FP-7 and FP-9, require a particularly large amount of fuel. The FP-7 is currently undergoing final testing. The company expects its first combat use at the end of September. One engine of such a missile contains about a ton of rocket fuel. The much larger FP-9 requires more than 4.5 tons. Its claimed range is up to 855 km with a combat load of up to 800 kg.
Previously, dev.ua wrote that Fire Point invested about $100 million in its own ballistic program.
