While 10 countries signed a joint declaration to develop Freya, Europe's defence industry is struggling to deliver
Ukraine’s defence industry has warned that the made-in-Europe anti-ballistic missile system Freya might not be operational until late 2028, leaving both Ukraine and European countries largely dependent on the US Patriot system.
Ukraine is currently struggling to defend itself against Russian ballistic missile strikes, as US-made interceptors are currently low in stock due to the war in Iran. As an answer, 10 European countries – including Ukraine and the United Kingdom – came together to develop their own low-cost ballistic defence system.
However, following a first round of discussions with the 12 companies involved in development, the CEO of the Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry (UCDI), Ihor Fedirko, is less than optimistic about the project’s timeline.
“I think it will not take less than two years,” he told Euractiv.
