European Missile Firms Partner with Ukraine on Long-Range Cruise Missiles

MBDA and Diehl Defense have entered partnerships with Ukrainian defense firms to develop and manufacture long-range cruise missiles originally designed in Ukraine. Diehl Defense plans to begin production of the Flamingo cruise missile in Germany. Company chief executive Helmut Rauch said talks with Fire Point, the Ukrainian manufacturer, are scheduled in the coming weeks.

MBDA signed a memorandum of understanding with Ukrainian firm Luch to expand work on the Neptune family of cruise missiles. The companies will collaborate on a version called Neptune 2 through a process described as disruptive innovation.

The Neptune missile family began as an anti-ship weapon and gained attention after use against the Russian cruiser Moskva in 2022. Ukraine later developed land-attack versions with ranges reported up to 225 miles for one variant and approximately 620 miles for the Long Neptune.

The Flamingo missile, also known as FP-5, is designed for strikes deep inside Russia with a reported range of 1,864 miles and a warhead weighing about 2,205 pounds. It uses an AI-25 turbofan engine and various satellite navigation methods for guidance.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius visited Kyiv last month and noted Ukraine's technological advances during the conflict. He said Berlin is examining joint ventures involving long-range systems. Ukraine has received limited numbers of long-range missiles from Western allies, including Storm Shadow, SCALP-EG, and ATACMS, but those weapons face usage restrictions and lack the range or warhead size of the Flamingo.

Kyiv has requested Tomahawk missiles from the United States without success so far.