Media: Ukraine tests domestic missile system as possible replacement for five times more expensive Patriot

Ukraine is testing a new domestic surface-to-air missile defense system as a possible replacement for the five times more expensive American Patriot system for the same purpose, Ukrainian media report.

The first test of the new FP-7.x missile interceptor last Sunday was "quite successful", Ukrainian manufacturer Fire Point said.

That company would be producing three missiles a day starting in August, but they would be stored until imported components arrive, which are expected only next year.

Ukrainian and other European officials say that Fire Point has been negotiating with Germany's Hensoldt and France's Thales for radars, Italy's Leonardo for target tracking systems, and Norway's Kongsberg for command and control technologies.

Technically, the FP-7.x should come close to the capabilities of the Patriot system. According to Fire Point, the missile is capable of operating at altitudes of up to 25 kilometers, similar to the American system. It should also have sufficient speed to intercept ballistic missiles.

However, there are important differences between the two systems. The Patriot uses high-precision guidance via powerful ground-based radars. The Ukrainian missile also uses radar guidance, but in the final phase of flight it switches to infrared homing based on the "thermal signature" of the target. Thermal guidance is generally considered less effective than radar guidance due to the possibility of using thermal decoys and electronic countermeasures.

In an interview with the British Financial Times, Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, noted that the FP-7.x could complement Ukraine's air defense arsenal, which includes older Soviet systems, American Hawk missiles, and modern German IRIS-T interceptors. However, the new system is unlikely to become a full replacement for more advanced systems like the Patriot.

In his opinion, different types of weapons must be used to defend against the full spectrum of threats. Therefore, it is more appropriate to view the new Ukrainian development as an addition to the Patriot system, rather than its direct successor.

Fire Point has repeatedly surprised observers, and as recently as last year, many doubted the company's plans to create cheap cruise missiles. However, it has demonstrated success with the long-range FP-1 drone, which was used to attack Russian oil refineries and even a warship near St. Petersburg. The medium-range FP-2 system is also actively used to attack Russian logistics in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Experts note that this weapon is not particularly stealthy, but it effectively exploits the shortcomings of the Russian radar network. That is why many are now paying more attention to the new missile defense project.

According to defense consultant Mark Lange, the main difficulty in creating anti-ballistic missiles is that they are very difficult to test. Bringing such systems to the required level requires years of engineering work and a large number of actual interceptions.

However, Ukraine is in a unique situation: constant Russian ballistic attacks simultaneously create a threat and provide an opportunity for the rapid accumulation of practical experience that in other countries is usually acquired only after decades of operation of similar systems.