Prototypes Seeing Combat in Ukraine/Russia

[EmoBirb]

Poor track record? Apart from the hundreds of FP-1 and FP-2 that are launched every day, that have devastated Russian AD resources across Crimea and the South....and Flamingo is still being used...and hitting targets....

Aside from the fact that there aren't "hundreds of FP-1 and FP-2 every day" (Ukraine can only amount to larger salvos like...once a month, at max), the FP-1/2 is even less reliable to make it to it's target than the early prop powered Geraniums.

While Flamingo, the first large scale program of FirePoint completely failed, with a handful having been used of which around half didn't make it to their target. Low volume, low performance is not a good combination. And it's so bad that, as already stated, the Ukrainian authorities are investigating FirePoint (which has no roots in defense whatsoever) for embezzlement and their strong ties to the current government in Ukraine via personal connections. Which is assumed to be the reason why they repeatedly secure such contracts despite their terrible reputation and track record.

The entire "Slava Ukraini!" stuff shouldn't get in the way of critical thinking and prevent one from questioning why a undeniable bad apple in the Ukrainian procurement scheme is repeatedly favored over more competent and independent national suppliers.

https://kyivindependent.com/exclusi...mingo-cruise-missile-facing-corruption-probe/

They also receive around two thirds of the budget allocated for drones, while other companies provide far more useful systems to frontline troops at a more steady pace.

I think that's enough on the nature of FirePoint, it'll be interesting to see what they'll come with next after the Iskander clone.

 

[Arjen]

I humbly suggest waiting for the results of FP-7.x operations.