The Russia-Ukraine war has completely changed global military strategies. While America and Western countries continued to follow the policy of making high-tech, expensive and ‘one-time use weapons’ for decades, Ukraine proved that future wars will be won with cheap, simple but mass-produced weapons. In this changing style of war, Ukraine’s new ‘junkyard cruise missile’ FP-5 Flamingo has emerged as the biggest surprise for the world’s military forces.
This missile is not only tearing apart Russian bases, but has also created a storm in American defense strategy because its price is only 20% of that of the American Tomahawk, while in many cases the firepower is twice more. This is the same weapon that America needed for years – cheap, lethal and mass-produced.
Flamingo: Superweapon released from Ukraine’s missile factory
The FP-5 Flamingo, developed by Ukrainian defense tech company Fire Point, is a low-cost, high-impact missile that Ukraine has deployed in several operations against Russia. The very first operation was proof of its power, in which three Flamingo missiles attacked a Russian naval base, destroying six hovercraft and leaving craters more than 30 feet deep on the ground. In several attacks, this missile has also caused severe fire in Russian oil refineries.
Why is the flamingo unique? Concept of ‘Junkyard Missile’
Flamingo is also being called the world’s first ‘junkyard cruise missile’. The reason is its manufacturing technology and unique cost saving methods:
1. External engine – Install whatever you want: The engine is installed externally at the back of the missile. That means any light, old, secondhand jet engine can be fitted in it. The model that was shown publicly was equipped with a second-hand AL-25 engine, which was taken from an old Czech L-39 trainer jet.
2. Recycled warhead: Instead of making a sophisticated warhead like the Tomahawk, the FAB-1000 Soviet air-bomb is installed in the Flamingo. Due to this 1000 kg bomb, the explosive capacity is almost double that of Tomahawk. Ukraine has thousands of such bombs and now this missile delivers the same bombs to the enemy from the air.
3. Carbon fiber one-piece body: The body of the missile is made from a single piece of carbon fiber by spin-form technology… which improves cost, weight and productivity.
Even America is stunned by the range and power of the flamingo. The power of the Flamingo seems to be far ahead of the Tomahawk. See here the features of both cruise missiles…
| parameters | Tomahawk | FP-5 Flamingo |
|---|---|---|
| Range | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles |
| warhead | 1,000 pounds | 2,300 pounds |
| price | $2.1 million | almost five times cheaper |
| construction speed | dozens per year | 1 per day → aim to increase to 7 per day |
The production capacity of any US cruise missile line today is less than that of the Flamingo. This fact both troubles and inspires Pentagon strategists.
Guidance System – Cheap, but Deadly
Fire Point did not share full details of the FP-5’s guidance system, but based on the company’s other FP-1 missiles it is highly likely that the Flamingo will have: jam-resistant satellite navigation, inertial guidance, and camera-based optical targeting. The manufacturer claims that its accuracy remains within 50 feet. When you have a 1-ton warhead, a difference of 50 feet doesn’t matter on the battlefield.
America’s dilemma – expensive missiles, small numbers
The Tomahawk costs about $2.1 million, and the US produces and sells a small number of them a year. Like: 135 Tomahawks on Yemen in 2024, about 120 on Syria in 2017–18, less than 150 on Libya in 2011, in contrast Russia is making 200+ missiles every month and fires 700 drones a night. This means that America’s military policy of “high-tech but low quantity” is now becoming outdated.
Future of War: Affordable Mass Weapons
The Pentagon has now adopted a new policy – ’Affordable Mass’ i.e. cheap but effective weapons made in thousands. American companies have lagged behind in this direction. Therefore, big companies like Lockheed Martin are now having to change their manufacturing models on a large scale because only the country which has more missiles, more drones and more cheap weapons will survive in the future war. Flamingo is an example of that future.
