German defense giant Diehl Defense hopes to move production of the Ukrainian long-range Flamingo cruise missile to its facilities in Germany. The company’s management plans to hold talks with Ukrainian weapons developer Fire Point in the coming weeks.
German defense giant Diehl Defense hopes to move production of the Ukrainian long-range Flamingo cruise missile to its facilities in Germany. The company’s management plans to hold talks with Ukrainian weapons developer Fire Point in the coming weeks.
The Financial Times reports on plans to expand the partnership between defense companies, citing a statement by Diehl Defense CEO Helmut Rauch during the ILA air show in Berlin.
According to the head of Diehl Defence, the company is «optimistic and positive» about the cooperation. «I believe that if we create some new product, it is quite logical to have it in Germany or other countries as well,» said Rauch, adding that the first meetings with Fire Point representatives are scheduled for the coming weeks.
The Flamingo cruise missile (FP-5 modification) has a claimed range of over 3,000 km, which is approximately twice that of the American Tomahawk. For the Ukrainian development, Diehl Defence can offer a significant technological upgrade — a much more advanced infrared homing head and its own engineering solutions developed over decades.
Ukrainian company Fire Point has already signed a technology agreement with Diehl in April 2026. According to Fire Point co-founder and chief designer Denis Shtilierman, the company currently produces about 200 Flamingo missiles per month and is ready to scale up production if stable orders and financing are available. The developers are also working on eliminating technical nuances with the rocket engine.
In addition to the Flamingo project, Fire Point is currently testing a new anti-aircraft missile, the FP-7.X, which is being considered as a potential alternative to the scarce Patriot anti-missile systems. Its serial production could begin as early as August 2026, if German partners Diehl Defense promptly provide the necessary infrared homing heads.
