Ukraine to begin mass production of Flamingo missiles in early 2026

Mass production of Ukraine’s new long-range Flamingo cruise missiles is expected to begin in early 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalists.

He said the missile had already undergone successful testing and described it as the country’s most successful missile to date, with a range of 3,000 kilometers. Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine planned to increase the number of available missiles by the end of December and expected serial production to begin in late December or early 2026, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media. 

However, he added that until Ukraine has the capacity to deploy hundreds of such weapons, it was premature to discuss the programme in detail.

The FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile is designed for long-range strikes and carries a 1,000-kilogram warhead.

According to Defense Express, the missile’s relatively simple design is optimised for mass production, using a straight, non-folding wing and lacking containerised launch capability. While these features simplify manufacturing, they also require longer pre-launch preparations.

With a take-off weight of six tons and a wingspan of six meters, the Flamingo is significantly larger than some military trainer aircraft.

For comparison, the L-39 Albatros has a maximum take-off weight of 4.7 tons and a wingspan of 9.5 meters. The missile’s size is largely due to the fuel needed to achieve its 3,000-kilometer range.

By Sabina Mammadli