Ukraine is excited about a new homegrown cruise missile that just struck deep into Russia creating a first-time combat deployment. The FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile has entered active duty, and it is similar to the ubiquitous American Tomahawk projectile. Indeed, the United States has discussed making the Tomahawk cruise missile available to the Ukrainians and allowing Volodymyr Zelensky’s rocket forces to continually punish Russian targets like oil refineries and other energy infrastructure to make life difficult for ordinary Russians.

Previously, the Ukrainians had tested the Flamingo at least three times, according to an earlier Warrior Maven analysis. This is the first time the Flamingo has struck Russia and Ukraine is likely to continue using the FP-5 for heavy destruction against military and civilian targets.

More About the Flamingo

The Flamingo has a range of 1,864 miles with a warhead of 2,535 pounds. The FP-5 can fly as low as 150 feet above the ground. The Ukrainians could fire a salvo of several Flamingos to saturate the air space and stymie Russian air defenses.

The Flamingo is manufactured by a muscular and nimble start-up called Fire Point. The cruise missile has a turbofan engine with a carbon-fiber fuselage, according to ArmyRecognition.com.

“This approach strikes a balance between performance and rapid, low-cost production. The company is currently producing two to three missiles per day, with plans to increase to seven by the end of the month. Each missile costs around $500,000, a fraction of the cost of comparable Western cruise missiles. This affordability is key to Ukraine’s new strategy of ‘attrition economics,’ emphasizing mass production and volume over expensive precision systems,” ArmyRecognition.com explained.

Cheaper to Produce Than the Tomahawk

The Ukrainians should be congratulated for using their indigenous defense industry to create such a powerful, long-range missile and producing it in numbers. They are also making the Flamingo on the cheap as a Tomahawk cruise missile costs $1.5 to $2 million each.

Still Not Creating an End State

This is an excellent development for Zelensky’s effort to bring the fight to Moscow’s doorstep, but it comes with some problems strategically. What do the Ukrainians hope to accomplish with this missile? If it is more oil and gas infrastructure destruction, then this is more of a nuisance for Russians who have to stand in long lines for gasoline. The refinery attacks are affecting the Russian economy to be sure, but they will not change the trajectory of the war.

Can the FP-5 Be More Than a Nuisance?

The Flamingo is also not being produced quickly enough to punish the Russians into submission to tip the balance in Ukraine’s favor. Cruise missiles are often used by the United States to hit military targets so American troops do not have to be deployed. These are “punishment” strikes. For example, the Americans have used Tomahawks against terrorist training camps in the past, but these strikes have not been decisive, but they do allow an American president to say that he has “done something” against the enemy.

It is difficult to win a war with just aerial missile attacks and air power. Yes, the Flamino can do damage, and it is a testament to the intrepid and innovative brain power the Ukrainian defense industry has exhibited throughout the war, but ending the conflict simply based on a missile’s performance will not be possible.

There Are Intangible Benefits

Deep strike with a homegrown missile does have psychological and morale benefits. Zelensky can point toward his defense industry and say that Ukraine is becoming self-sustaining. This is a public relations win. The Ukrainian leader can also put the American and European minds to rest that Kyiv’s indigenous weapons producers are holding their own and Zelensky is not so dependent on NATO defense contributions.

But the question still remains - what is the end state? Cruise missiles can create a “forever war” of tit-for-tat attacks and combining the Flamingos with drones will be a way to reach Russian air bases and destroy any aircraft that are exposed. This is sound tactical execution, but there is still that pesky problem of the conventional cruise missiles not being strategic.

Deep strike is important, and these missiles give the Russians more to worry about. The ability to overwhelm Russian air defenses is a win in and of itself, but is Vladimir Putin even going to notice?

The best aspect of the Flamingo is that it is made in Ukraine. The Ukrainians are becoming more self-sustaining with their defense industrial base and that is important for national prestige. But I still wonder how long the Ukrainians can continue the war, even with a new homegrown missile. Russia is still stronger in weapons and in manpower. The Ukrainians have a long way to go before they can compete with Russian military might.

I still salute the Ukrainians for their engineering prowess and brain power that has produced the Flamingo. If the cruise missiles can be made in better numbers as time goes on, that will be a nice development in this grinding stalemate of a war. Zelensky can tell leaders in Washington and Brussels that his country can stand more on its own two feet without so much assistance that has some wondering how long weapons must be transferred to Ukraine. So, let’s see if Ukraine can create better operational art and strategy around the new munitions so the Flamingo can be a full-time difference maker.

About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don't Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American Un