That's most likely the FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missile, a long-range weapon developed by the Ukrainian defense firm Fire Point. It has attracted attention primarily because of its significantly lower cost compared to similar Western missiles, a principle known as "affordable mass."
Here are the key details about the Flamingo:
- Low Cost: The estimated unit cost for the Flamingo is around $500,000 to under €1 million ($1.09 million) per unit, which is substantially less than the $1.5 million to $2.5 million cost of an American Tomahawk cruise missile [Source 1.2, 3.1].
- Design for Affordability: The lower cost is achieved through simplified design choices, including:
- Using repurposed Soviet-era AI-25TL turbofan engines (originally for L-39 trainer jets) [Source 1.2, 1.5, 3.3].
- A primary fuselage constructed from carbon fiber to keep costs down and aid in evading Russian radar [Source 1.1].
- Relying on a simpler GPS/GNSS and Inertial Navigation System (INS) rather than the more complex visual guidance systems (TERCOM/DSMAC) of Western counterparts [Source 1.2, 1.5].
- Key Capabilities: Despite its lower cost, the missile has impressive specifications:
- Range: Up to 3,000 km (about 1,900 miles), which is roughly twice the range of a Tomahawk Block V [Source 1.2, 3.1].
- Warhead: A massive 1,150 kg (2,540 lb) warhead, often repurposed from aerial bombs, giving it significant destructive power [Source 1.2, 3.1].
- Production: The company is reportedly ramping up production, with a goal to increase daily output, reflecting a strategic move to field a large quantity of cost-effective, long-range weapons [Source 1.1, 1.6].
Other less expensive missiles or missile-drones are also in use or development, such as the Long Neptune and the ultra-low-cost Trembita, but the Flamingo is the one most often cited in media regarding the "cheap cruise missile" narrative due to its combination of massive warhead, long range, and low price [Source 1.9, 2.6].
Would you like to know more about the Flamingo's development or its use in the war?
something about it tells me that this might be ai generated...