Ukraine has completed development of the interceptor missile and launcher for the European FREYJA missile defense system. Denmark has completed work on the first component produced by an international partner – a radar for the system. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this after speaking with journalists on November 13.
„We received information about the Danish radar. This is the first completed component from our partners. And overall, our missile is ready. That is the most important thing,“ Zelensky said. He specified that Ukraine is producing the missile and launcher, while the remaining elements depend on the participating European countries and companies.
The system is not yet ready for combat use
FREYJA has not yet been put into service. The radars, detection and tracking systems, guidance systems and command module developed by the European partners still need to be integrated. The first tests are expected to begin in winter, but no specific date has been announced.
The program is intended to counter ballistic missiles – a threat against which Ukraine currently relies mainly on American Patriot systems. According to Defense News, the Ukrainian company Fire Point is developing the FP-7.X interceptor, while European partners are working on the radars, seeker head and command-and-information systems. FREYJA is expected to connect to the wider air defense network through the Link 16 standard.
11 countries are participating in the program
Eleven countries have joined FREYJA – Ukraine, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Poland. A coordination office will be opened in Copenhagen with the participation of Norway.
The program was officially presented in Paris in July as an effort by Europe to build its own missile defense capability and reduce its dependence on American Patriot interceptors. „Europe must become independent in this area and have its own FREYJA missile system,“ Zelensky said before the Danish parliament.
Lower cost and higher production
Fire Point aims for a single FREYJA interceptor to cost less than $1.2 million in mass production and plans an annual capacity of at least 2,000 missiles. By comparison, a single PAC-3 interceptor for Patriot costs approximately $3.8 million, Defense News reports.
The lower price is a stated target of the manufacturer, not a final confirmed price for the completed system. In addition to the missile and launcher, however, FREYJA will include radars, command systems and other components whose development and integration are still ongoing. Therefore, the full cost of a single combat system has not been announced.
Sources: united24media.com, defensenews.com, investing.com