Ukraine found its bottleneck and now it may have found its fix. The FP‑5 Flamingo has long relied on aging Soviet AI‑25 engines, a supply shrinking faster than Russia’s fuel reserves. New reports suggest Ukraine is now integrating British‑made turbojet engines into the latest variants.
This means:
higher production rates
reduced dependence on Soviet leftovers
long‑term sustainability for Ukraine’s long‑range strike program
This means:
higher production rates
reduced dependence on Soviet leftovers
long‑term sustainability for Ukraine’s long‑range strike program
Flamingo already proved Ukraine can build precision long‑range missiles capable of hitting deep inside Russia. With new engines, production can shift from “limited batches” to steady industrial output.
Defense observers see this as a meaningful step toward expanded domestic manufacturing capacity — exactly what Ukraine needs as demand for long‑range capability keeps rising.
Soviet engines: “We’re done.” Ukraine: “Great, we’ll take British ones.” Russia: “This feels… concerning.”
In short:The engine transition could become Flamingo’s turbo literally and strategically.