KYIV — Ukraine is setting an ambitious timeline for a new European anti-ballistic missile defense system, with officials hoping to have a working prototype of the project — known by the codename Freyja — ready before the end of the first half of next year.
Davyd Aloian, deputy secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council and the official overseeing the Freyja project, said an international steering committee responsible for estimating research and development costs is expected to hold its first meeting soon.
Two weeks ago, leaders from 10 European countries — including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy — along with roughly a dozen defense manufacturers gathered at a summit in Paris to formally launch the anti-ballistic coalition.
“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.”
Ukraine has long relied heavily on U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems, which remain the only weapon in its inventory reliably capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles — projectiles that travel at several times the speed of sound. The availability of Patriot systems has been complicated by political uncertainty, limited stockpiles, and slow production timelines.
Russia has intensified its ballistic missile strikes on the capital Kyiv and the southern port city of Odesa this month, launching dozens of missiles. Ukraine has been unable to shoot down most of them due to a shortage of interceptors.
Ukraine has indicated it is prepared to contribute a launcher and an interceptor missile to the Freyja project. Zelenskiy described that contribution this month as simply a “matter of testing” and has expressed hope that the system could be fully operational within a year.
Kyiv is asking its allies to bring technology to the table, including advanced radars, sensors, and expertise in missile guidance and control electronics. Defense companies that have already joined the effort include Eurosam — the manufacturer of the SAMP-T interceptor system — along with Leonardo, Thales, and Saab.
Ukrainian missile and drone manufacturer Fire Point, the company behind the Flamingo cruise missile, has been designated as the lead industrial partner on the project. Last month, Fire Point announced an agreement with German defense company Hensoldt to supply radar technology for Freyja.
Freyja is being designed as a more affordable option compared to the Patriot system, which many European nations also depend on. Other existing air defense platforms, such as the Franco-Italian SAMP/T and Germany’s IRIS-T, have not yet demonstrated the ability to reliably intercept ballistic missiles.
Zelenskiy likened the Freyja coalition to Lego — snapping together components from various defense industry leaders. Aloian explained that manufacturers have been asked to develop a framework built around interchangeable parts.
“The overall logic of this system is that it’s an open architecture,” Aloian 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.”
Officials are also exploring the creation of a dedicated body — possibly a fund — to consolidate contributions and ensure the project has stable, long-term financing. Aloian added that having private industry directly involved alongside governments could help cut through bureaucratic delays.
“The coalition should be practical rather than political,” he said.
