What’s known about Ukraine’s FP-1 deep strike drone

On 6 May, at an exhibition dedicated to Infantry Day, Ukraine’s Ministry for Strategic Industries showcased the Ukrainian FP-1 kamikaze strike drone, capable of flying up to 1,600 km. Official information about it remains limited. Defender has compiled what Ukrainian and international observers are reporting.

Photos of the FP-1 were published on Tuesday by Oboronka. According to the display stand, the drone is designed to strike targets at strategic depth, is capable of carrying a warhead of up to 120 kg, and has a range of up to 1,600 km. Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries Anna Gvozdiar stated that the FP-1 is already being mass-produced and has attracted the attention of international partners.

The Ukrainian defence outlet Militarnyi reports that this drone has been actively used for about a year to target sites inside Russian territory. In March this year, Russian media repeatedly showed wreckage believed to be from an FP-1 across several regions. In 2024, debris was also found in Russian-occupied areas of Luhansk Oblast. One of the most significant strikes was an attack on the Marinovka airbase in August 2024, which destroyed at least one Su-34 fighter-bomber and damaged several other aircraft.

Earlier, in autumn 2023, a mock-up of the FP-1 was presented by the company Spetstechnoexport at an international exhibition. At the time, it was reported that the model had a range of up to 700 km and could carry a warhead weighing around 50 kg.

According to Forbes columnist David Ax, the FP-1 is manufactured by the Ukrainian-Czech concern UAC. This version of the drone has improved range and payload thanks to the omission of a chassis. Instead of taking off on wheels like its predecessor, the PD-1, the FP-1 is launched from an angled ramp using a rocket and does not return after completing its mission. It is a single-use kamikaze drone, carrying a warhead of up to 113 kg and with a flight range of up to 1,600 km.

The Ukrainian-Czech concern UAC is a branch of the Ukrainian company DeViRo, which specialises in the development and production of military-grade drones. Since 2024, the concern has launched serial production of Leleka-LR reconnaissance drones and Bulava strike drones for the Ukrainian armed forces.