Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missile shows strike power like U.S. Tomahawk in first Russia strike.

Ukraine has for the first time used its domestically built Flamingo FP-5 cruise missile to strike Russian territory, The Economist reported. Analysts say the weapon demonstrates strike power comparable to that of the U.S. Tomahawk, signaling a significant leap in Ukraine’s long-range capability.

The Economist confirmed on October 5, 2025, that Ukraine has deployed its new Flamingo FP-5 cruise missile in a strike against Russian targets—marking the first known use of the system in combat. The missile, designed for long-range and heavy-impact strikes, mirrors the U.S. Tomahawk’s destructive range and payload, though it uses simpler guidance and lower-cost components. This milestone highlights Kyiv’s growing domestic defense production and raises questions about how far Ukraine can project power without direct Western munitions.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

A scale model of Ukraine’s FP-5 “Flamingo” long-range cruise missile displayed at IDEX 2025, highlighting its sleek carbon-fiber fuselage and repurposed turbofan engine design. The missile’s 3,000 km range and 1,150 kg warhead mark a new phase in Ukraine’s indigenous strike capability. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

The Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missile has a maximum firing range of 3,000 km, a 1,150-kg warhead, and a low-altitude flight profile that lets it skim roughly 50 m above the ground, while flying on constantly changing vectors makes it difficult to detect and intercept, potentially overwhelming traditional radar systems and imposing a new set of challenges on Russian air defence operators.

Developed by the Ukrainian manufacturer Fire Point, the FP-5 utilizes a repurposed Soviet-era turbofan engine, mounted on a carbon-fiber fuselage that can reportedly be manufactured in just six hours. 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.

If these figures are accurate, the Flamingo FP-5 missile offers Ukraine an unprecedented deep-strike capability unmatched in its arsenal. Its combination of heavy payload, long reach, and simplified guidance design makes it a weapon optimized for high-impact strategic targets such as industrial plants, ammunition depots, and logistics centers far beyond the front line. Early indications suggest the missile has already been used against targets in Crimea and the Belgorod region, though verified damage assessments remain limited.

Comparing the Flamingo to Western counterparts helps clarify its strategic value. The U.S. Navy’s Tomahawk Block V cruise missile, for example, has a range of about 1,600 kilometres and carries a 450-kilogram warhead. While highly accurate, networked, and combat-proven, the Tomahawk costs roughly $1.5 to $2 million per unit, about four times more than the FP-5. In exchange for higher cost, the Tomahawk offers precision guidance, low radar cross-section, and advanced target reprogramming capability, enabling pinpoint strikes against high-value assets.

By contrast, Ukraine’s Flamingo prioritizes destructive power, range, and affordability over advanced guidance sophistication. The missile’s simplicity allows it to be built in greater numbers and deployed more flexibly. Analysts suggest that a massed Flamingo strike could saturate Russian air defenses, forcing the diversion of expensive interceptor missiles that cost far more than the weapon they aim to destroy.

In Europe, the FP-5 also stands apart from high-end standoff missiles such as the Anglo-French Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG and the German-Swedish Taurus KEPD 350. The Storm Shadow, with a 450-kilogram BROACH warhead and a range of around 560 kilometres, is designed for precision strikes on fortified targets. Its cost, estimated at over $1 million per unit, reflects its advanced guidance, stealth shaping, and reliability. The Taurus, slightly larger and heavier, offers a range of up to 500 kilometres with a dual-stage warhead engineered to penetrate reinforced structures before detonation. Both European systems emphasize accuracy, stealth, and survivability but lack the FP-5’s enormous range and destructive yield.

The U.S. AGM-158 JASSM-ER, a key air-launched precision strike weapon, has a range of roughly 900 to 1,000 kilometres and a 450-kilogram penetrating warhead. Its unit price exceeds $1.2 million, but it remains one of the most survivable cruise missiles in the world thanks to its low-observable airframe and multi-sensor guidance suite. The FP-5 cannot match the JASSM-ER’s precision or survivability, yet its cost-per-effect ratio and range could make it strategically disruptive, especially if it continues to elude interception.

Ukraine’s approach with the FP-5 mirrors emerging Western trends toward “affordable mass.” The U.S. Department of Defense has been pursuing lower-cost precision weapons such as the emerging Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) concept to supplement high-end systems like JASSM and Tomahawk. These programs seek to create expendable, high-volume strike options that can be employed without depleting inventories of expensive precision missiles. Fire Point’s production model achieves this balance organically: rapid manufacturing, repurposed components, and simplified guidance that together make large-scale employment viable.

Strategically, the FP-5’s deployment carries major implications for both sides. For Ukraine, it signifies a shift toward independent strike capability, reducing reliance on Western-supplied systems and showcasing a domestic defense industry capable of producing long-range precision weapons at scale. For Russia, it introduces a new threat to critical infrastructure across its western regions, forcing a reallocation of air defense resources and raising the cost of sustaining rear-area operations.

The ability to strike deep into Russia could also reshape the diplomatic landscape. Western governments have long sought to balance support for Ukraine with concerns about escalation. The introduction of a domestically built missile capable of reaching Moscow and beyond complicates that balance, underscoring Ukraine’s growing technological maturity and its determination to wage strategic warfare on its own terms.

From an operational perspective, Russia will need to adjust rapidly. Lower-altitude radar coverage, faster interceptor coordination, and enhanced electronic warfare will be essential to counter the Flamingo’s unpredictable flight paths. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s success will hinge on securing a steady supply of engines, guidance electronics, and explosives while protecting production sites from Russian retaliation.

The next several weeks will determine whether the Flamingo FP-5 cruise missile proves to be a short-lived novelty or a sustainable addition to Ukraine’s long-range strike arsenal. If production continues at the expected rate and the missile demonstrates consistent performance, it could become a cornerstone of Kyiv’s DeepStrike campaign, potentially altering the course of the conflict and reshaping regional air defense dynamics.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.