Ukraine has set an ambitious target of producing a prototype of its proposed European anti-ballistic missile defence system, codenamed Freyja, by the first half of 2027 as Kyiv seeks to reduce its reliance on US-made Patriot systems and strengthen Europe’s air defence capabilities.
Davyd Aloian, Deputy Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, who oversees the Freyja project, said the initiative aims to deliver a minimum viable product (MVP) within a year.
“Since we’re working within such a tight timeframe, we have an ambitious goal: to have an MVP (minimum viable product) ready by the first half of next year,” Aloian said.
“That is a prototype that can already demonstrate its first practical results.”
The announcement follows the formal launch of the anti-ballistic coalition at a summit in Paris two weeks ago, where leaders from 10 European countries, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, joined representatives from about a dozen defence manufacturers to back the initiative.
An international steering committee tasked with estimating the project’s research and development costs is expected to hold its inaugural meeting soon.
Ukraine’s renewed push comes amid growing concerns over its dependence on Patriot air defence systems, currently the only weapons in its arsenal capable of reliably intercepting Russia’s ballistic missiles, which travel at several times the speed of sound.
The supply of Patriot systems has been constrained by political uncertainty, limited stockpiles and lengthy production timelines.
Russia has intensified ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv and the southern port city of Odesa this month, launching dozens of missiles, many of which Ukraine has been unable to intercept because of shortages of interceptor missiles.
Ukraine has committed to providing a launcher and an interceptor missile for the Freyja project. President Zelenskiy recently described the interceptor as being only a “matter of testing” and expressed hope that the system would become operational within a year.
Kyiv expects its European partners to contribute critical technologies, including advanced radars, sensors and expertise in missile guidance and control electronics.
Among the defence companies participating in the project are Eurosam, the manufacturer of the SAMP/T interceptor system, alongside Leonardo, Thales and Saab.
Ukrainian missile and drone manufacturer Fire Point, which developed the Flamingo cruise missile, will serve as the project’s lead industrial partner. Last month, the company signed an agreement with German defence manufacturer Hensoldt to supply radar technology for the system.
The Freyja initiative is intended to provide a more affordable alternative to the Patriot missile defence system, which is widely used across Europe. Existing systems such as the Franco-Italian SAMP/T and Germany’s IRIS-T have yet to demonstrate consistent capability against ballistic missiles.
Zelenskiy likened the coalition to a Lego model, describing the project as one that combines technologies from leading European defence manufacturers into a single integrated system.
Aloian said the concept is based on an open architecture that allows countries to customise the system with domestically produced components.
“The overall logic of this system is that it’s an open architecture,” he said.
“So if Denmark says ‘I want the Freyja system with a Danish-made Weibel radar,’ that’s fine. If Sweden says they want the Saab system, that’s no problem either.”
To ensure stable financing, Ukraine and its partners are considering creating a dedicated body, possibly a special fund, to coordinate financial contributions from participating governments and industry.
Aloian said involving private defence companies directly alongside governments could also reduce bureaucratic delays.
“The coalition should be practical rather than political,” he said.
Boluwatife Enome
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