Fire Point CEO Details Expanding Missile and Drone Portfolio in New Interview
Iryna Terekh, chief executive of the Ukrainian defense technology firm Fire Point, outlined the company’s transition from startup drone maker to developer of long-range cruise and ballistic missiles in a recent interview 1. The company claims its objective is to “destroy the Russian Empire,” a mission statement it also publishes on its official website 2.
In a wide-ranging interview with The War Zone published Aug. 3, Terekh detailed Fire Point’s active deep-strike campaigns using its FP-1 and FP-2 drones and Flamingo cruise missiles 3. She also disclosed developmental timelines for the FP-9 ballistic missile and the FP-7.x interceptor, which the company intends as a lower-cost alternative to U.S.-made Patriot munitions 3.
The company claims to operate a dispersed manufacturing ecosystem comprising 90 facilities to mitigate the persistent threat of Russian strikes 3.
Expanding the Strike Portfolio
Fire Point began operations by developing the FP-1, a strike drone originally conceived as an analogue to the Iranian-designed Shahed series and a platform to deliver Soviet-era FAB-50 bombs 3. While the rumored bomb stockpile did not materialize, the FP-1 program drove the company to build a distributed supply chain that later enabled its expansion into missile development 3.
The company now produces the FP-1 and FP-2 drones, which Terekh said have been upgraded for increased range and accuracy 3. The FP-1, which Fire Point states has an operating range of up to 2,600 kilometers 4, is used for deep-strike missions, while the FP-2, with a stated range of up to 200 kilometers 4, is employed against both static and moving targets 3.
Terekh said the FP-2 has been particularly effective against Russian shipping in the Sea of Azov because it features manual control with artificial intelligence assistance and redundant connectivity, allowing operators to target vulnerable sections of moving vessels 3.
Fire Point has also fielded the FP-5 Flamingo, a ground-launched cruise missile with a stated payload of 1,150 kilograms and an operating range of up to 3,000 kilometers 5. Terekh said the Flamingo can use five different engine types, though Fire Point is currently testing prototypes of its own turbojet engine with the goal of entering mass production next year 3.
The company claims the Flamingo can defeat ground-based air defenses such as the Pantsir and Tor systems through low-altitude flight profiles and electronic warfare resistance, leaving aviation as its primary threat 3. Terekh declined to address criticism from a Canadian Global Affairs Institute fellow who recently told The New York Times the Flamingo has shown “low effectiveness,” stating instead that developing a cruise missile in a single year is a complex achievement 3.
Ballistic Missiles and Interceptors
Fire Point is developing the FP-9 ballistic missile, which Terekh said is designed with an 850-kilometer range to reach Moscow 3. The missile requires a 4.6-ton solid-propellant engine, prompting the company to build new casting facilities in Ukraine and Denmark 3. Terekh said the FP-9’s navigation systems are ready and the company expects to conduct test launches in the autumn 3.
The company is also developing the FP-7.x, a ballistic missile interceptor based on its FP-7 surface-to-surface missile 3 6. Terekh said Fire Point is collaborating with two European firms and one Ukrainian company to integrate seekers, including an imaging-infrared seeker from Germany’s Diehl Defense 3.
The FP-7.x is intended to provide a more plentiful and affordable alternative to the Patriot PAC-3 interceptor 3. Terekh said the first iteration will likely use blast interception, comparable to the older Patriot PAC-2, before advancing to hit-to-kill technology 3. She said Fire Point aims to produce at least 2,000 interceptors annually at a unit cost below €1 million, though that depends on resolving seeker production bottlenecks and completing technical integration 3.
Distributed Manufacturing and AI
To survive Russian bombardment, Fire Point operates a highly distributed manufacturing network 3. Terekh said the company’s 90 “factories” function as an ecosystem with redundant logistics, warehousing and critical components 3.
Fire Point imposes strict design-for-manufacturability requirements during research and development to ensure its weapons can be produced at volume 3. Terekh said she routinely blocks designs that cannot be mass-produced, prioritizing technological sovereignty and internal control over critical components 3.
The company incorporates AI into its systems for visual map-matching and terminal target correction, particularly when connectivity is lost, but Terekh emphasized that a human operator retains final decision-making authority 3. Looking forward, she suggested AI could eventually support autonomous “drone walls” or kill zones as a deterrent, though she acknowledged the ethical and operational complexities of delegating lethal decisions to machines 3.
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