Ukrainian volunteers are developing a larger, and more powerful version of the Trembita missile that can reach Moscow, The Economist reported on Dec. 23.
The first designs of the Trembita, named after a Ukrainian alpine horn, were unveiled in 2023.
The basic Trembita, developed by Ukrainian engineers, is significantly cheaper than Western or Russian missiles, and operates like the V1 flying bombs used by Germany during World War II.
The precise timeline for completing the production of the updated missile version is not yet clear. Meanwhile, the developers have spent a year and a half creating the basic design of the weapon, which usually takes several years, The Economist reported, adding serial production is set to follow the final field tests.
The Trembita cruise missile flies at 400 kmh (248 mph) with a range of 200 km (124 miles). One unit costs $3,000, and a 20-30-kilogram warhead is priced at $15,000.
One barrier to the rapid development of modern Ukrainian weapons is funding. When the government finances production at the stage where the missile has proven it can fly, manufacturers often must risk their own financial contributions.
Ukraine offers private missile manufacturers the same maximum 25% profit margin it gives to drone manufacturers, according to The Economist.
A senior security official also told the media outlet that Ukraine is "at least a year away" from producing missiles in the numbers, range, and capabilities that would "seriously threaten Russia."
Long-range domestic weapons are critical to Ukraine's defense strategy. They provide the country's military with an alternative to Western arms, whose use is often restricted. They also compensate for the lack of artillery ammunition on the battlefield.
Almost 100 of Ukraine's new Peklo missile-drone hybrids have been produced as the weapon entered serial production, Ukrainska Pravda reported on Dec. 16.
President Volodymyr Zelenksy previously announced that another Ukrainian missile, dubbed Ruta (Rue), passed tests successfully.
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