Ukraine’s secret missile program takes flight

The Economist writes about it.

Trembita is one of several missiles being developed by Ukraine to bolster its defense capabilities. With foreign military aid uncertain, Ukraine is betting on reviving its rocket industry, once a Soviet-era leader in missile production. 

“2025 will be the year of the Ukrainian cruise missile,” predicts Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who is cutting red tape to fast-track innovation.

Prominent projects include the Neptune, adapted from the missile that sank Russia’s Moskva warship in 2022, and the Hrim-2 ballistic missile. But insiders say smaller startups like Trembita are moving faster. Designed to be cost-effective, a complete Trembita costs just $15,000 — a fraction of Western counterparts. 

Wartime production has driven innovation underground, with assembly scattered across hidden sites. Russian attacks on factories, like the Neptune plant in Kyiv and the Pivdenmash facility in Dnipro, have forced teams to operate in secrecy. “We’ll carry out the missile program regardless,” says Volodymyr Horbulin, a veteran adviser to Ukraine’s defense projects.

The government supports proven designs, offering manufacturers profit margins similar to drone production. However, scaling up to industrial levels remains a challenge. “Ukraine has no shortage of ideas,” says one defense insider. “But the devil has always been in the implementation.” Partnerships with allies like Britain and Denmark may help overcome these hurdles.

Despite progress, time is tight. Experts say Ukraine is at least a year away from producing missiles in sufficient numbers to threaten Russia. Meanwhile, the Trembita team presses on, the article concludes.