Destinus expands long-range missile push in Europe as defence demand rises

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Dan Blystone

20.05.2026

Destinus expands long-range missile push in Europe as defence demand rises — Destinus missile ambitions rise

Europe is accelerating efforts to strengthen domestic long-range strike capabilities as the war in Ukraine and uncertainty over U.S. military support reshape defence priorities. In that environment, Destinus is emerging as a fast-growing challenger with cheaper missile and drone systems and plans to extend its range well beyond current European offerings.

Highlights

Destinus will begin producing the 700km-range Ruta Block 2 missile system with Rheinmetall by year-end and unveiled the 2,000km-range Ruta Block 3, with flight tests set for 2025.
European defence demand is rising as the U.S. canceled Tomahawk deliveries, positioning Destinus as a key supplier as governments seek quickly replenished, locally produced long-range missiles.
Destinus employs nearly 1,000 people, is profitable with revenues in the hundreds of millions of euros, and is raising another 200 million euros for expansion and acquisitions.

Destinus scales production and extends missile range

As reported by Financial Times, Destinus has moved quickly from a 2021 start-up focused on supersonic aircraft to a defence manufacturer supplying thousands of long-range drones and Ruta Block 1 mini cruise missiles to European governments and for deployment in Ukraine. The company says it is involved in long-range strike programmes across multiple European countries, according to founder Mikhail Kokorich.

Destinus plans to begin producing its Ruta Block 2 strike system by the end of the year through a joint venture with Germany's Rheinmetall. The system has a range of more than 700km, and the partnership gives the company greater manufacturing capacity as well as backing from one of Europe's largest defence groups.

On Monday, the company also unveiled plans for Ruta Block 3, a missile system with a targeted range of 2,000km. Flight tests are set to start next year, and that range would exceed the 1,600km offered by the U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles on which Europe has long depended.

Kokorich says Destinus's distributed production model and vertical integration help it scale faster than traditional contractors. The company makes many core components itself, including turbojet engines and warheads, and aims to build systems that are up to 10 times cheaper than legacy alternatives, although he says that target is not always achievable.

European rearmament opens space for new suppliers

Destinus is growing as European governments look for local long-range missile options after President Donald Trump decided this month to cancel plans to send U.S.-made Tomahawks to Germany. Analysts say the Ruta Block 2 could fit that requirement as Europe seeks systems that can be produced more quickly and replenished more easily.

Europe currently has only a limited number of locally produced cruise missile systems. MBDA makes the air-launched Storm Shadow/Scalp with a range of about 500km, though stocks are low, and it is developing a land-based system with a range of roughly 1,000km. The Elsa initiative, backed by six countries including Germany and France, is advancing several European-made long-range missile projects, but most are not expected to be ready until the 2030s.

Industry specialists say Destinus is also benefiting from battlefield experience gathered through the use of its systems in Ukraine. That operational exposure is helping the company refine products while Europe searches for an industrial response to Russia's strike volume.

Destinus now employs close to 1,000 people across several countries and, according to Kokorich, is profitable and generating revenues in the hundreds of millions of euros. People familiar with the situation say the company is raising another 200 million euros, while Kokorich says it is working with Rothschild on strategic options including potential acquisitions after last year's agreement to buy Swiss autonomous pilot start-up Daedalean.

In our earlier report on the EU’s first joint stockpile of critical minerals, we described how the bloc is shortlisting materials such as tungsten, rare earths and gallium to curb supply-chain exposure to China. We noted the reserve is being planned by a group of member states and is intended to support defence and high-tech manufacturing, from aerospace and semiconductors to renewables.

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