In the two years since its participation at Eurosatory 2024, the Netherlands-based Destinus has transformed into a high-tech European developer of modern munitions, with branches in Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, and Ukraine. While two years ago Destinus products were only featured at the booth of Ukraine’s Ukroboronprom, at Eurosatory 2026, the company showcased its products both at its own booth and at the open static display of the German company Rheinmetall, with which it established a joint venture, Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems.
The Kryla cruise missile was presented for the first time at the exhibition. EDR On-Line was told that it is designed to deliver dispersed, massive strikes capable of overloading enemy air defense systems (ADS).
According to information provided, the Kryla can be launched using boosters from a containerized ground launcher holding 12 missiles. Furthermore, transport aircraft can drop a launch rack hosting 30 missiles, no booster being needed; four parachutes open after launch, Kryla missiles being launched at altitude. They can be launched sequentially, forming a strike force against ADS and other stationary ground targets deep within the enemy’s defenses the Kryla having an 800 km range and a 50 kg mass warhead. The mission planning allows to launch multiple Krylas against the same target, in order to reach it from different directions in a very short period of time. Information about the Kryla missile is currently limited; no data are available on the type of warhead and on the navigation/seeker suite.
As for propulsion, the missile is equipped with a T70 turbojet engine designed by the same company, mounted in the tail section. The Destinus T70 is a small, low-cost turbojet turbojet capable of generating 750 N of thrust. It also features high-altitude and windmill start-up. Specific fuel consumption is 0.108 kg/h/N, electrical power output is up to 2,000 W, mass is 7.5 kg, length is 360 mm, and outer diameter is 170 mm. Fuel types include Jet A-1, JP-8, and JP-10.
The Destinus booth also featured the Ruta cruise missile, which meets optimal cost-effectiveness criteria and is designed for strikes against frontline targets and rear-area installations. The missile is available in two variants: Ruta Block 1 and Ruta Block 2. Launch is provided by two rocket boosters, after which the T150 turbojet engine ignites, and the missile enters the cruise phase of its flight.
As the developer emphasizes, the Ruta is an example of Destinus vertically integrated development strategy, which focuses its philosophy on ensuring product modularity. Key aircraft systems, such as the propulsion system, airframe, and avionics, are designed and built in-house. This in-house development model allows Destinus to provide customized Ruta missile configurations, precisely and flexibly adapting to each customer’s unique requirements.
In developing the Ruta missile, specialists completely reimagined the concept of a universal cruise missile to achieve high competitiveness and its appropriateness for modern challenges. This modular approach allows for variable payload-to-fuel ratios to address various tactical missions.
The Ruta Block 1 missile has a range of over 300 km and a payload mass of 150 kg. Ruta Block 1 established the baseline of the Ruta cruise system architecture. Designed for precision strike against fixed high-value military targets, it uses low-altitude terrain-following flight, GNSS-denied capable navigation, and pre-programmed terminal guidance. Ruta Block 1 is in serial production in the Netherlands, while Destinus is expanding annual production capacity of the Ruta family throughout its European industrial base.
Ruta Block 2 has a range of over 700 km and a payload mass of 250 kg. Designed for precision strike against hardened and high-value military targets, Ruta Block 2 enables low-altitude terrain-following penetration in GNSS-denied and EW-contested environments. EO/IR terminal guidance with AI-assisted target recognition supports accurate engagement of operator-defined aim points.
Ruta Block 2 was developed with the support of the Ukrainian innovative industrial cluster Brave1 and is currently undergoing flight testing in Ukraine, with industrial production scheduled to begin later in 2026.
Both Ruta missile variants are equipped with the T150 turbojet engine, which runs on Jet A-1, JP-8, diesel, or petrol fuel. The Destinus T150 is a compact turbojet engine delivering a maximum thrust of 150 kgf (1,500 N). Specific fuel consumption is 0.12 kg/h/N, electrical power output is 1,500 W, mass is 17.5 kg, length is 530 mm, and outer diameter is 245 mm.
Destinus, in collaboration with Rheinmetall, is also developing the Ruta Block 3 missile for precision strikes at ranges of up to 2,000 km. This missile variant is based on the Ruta architecture, which has transitioned from combat validation to serial industrial production. Flight testing of this missile is scheduled to begin in 2027.
The Block 3 variant is expected to be equipped with the next-generation Destinus T220 turbofan engine, currently in the design phase, and will carry a 250 kg warhead. The missile will combine advanced autonomous navigation for GNSS signal degradation with terminal search and guidance capabilities under development, as well as a standard ISO launch container architecture supporting deployment on land, at sea, and at fixed sites.
The implementation of the Ruta programme is intended to enable the transition of European long-range strike capabilities from limited stockpiles to sustainable industrial production. The programme is focused on three industrial centers. In the Netherlands, Destinus serves as the engineering and design organization and primary production site for the Ruta, where large-scale production of the family of missiles is already underway. In Ukraine, Destinus will contribute to both the development and operational testing of the Ruta Block 3 variant and will also serve as a manufacturing center for key components. In Germany, the Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems joint venture was established to increase production, qualification, and final integration of the missile into the Bundeswehr and a broader range of European customers. Production of the Ruta Block 1 and Block 2 variants at Rheinmetall’s Unterlüss facility is scheduled to begin in 2026-2027. Production of these missiles in Germany, as well as the Block 3 variant after flight testing and qualification, will complement existing serial production in the Netherlands.
“Europe is entering a new era of defense, where the decisive factor is no longer the availability of precision-guided weapons, but the ability to produce, replenish, and improve them on an industrial scale during sustained, high-intensity operations,” Mikhail Kokorich, CEO of Destinus said. “The Ruta Block 3 project is designed with this in mind: a sovereign European architecture, distributed industrial production, and the ability to rapidly scale up across allied countries. Our goal is not to produce symbolic quantities of high-quality missiles, but to contribute to the development of a robust European long-range strike capability with real industrial depth,” he concluded.
Images courtesy Destinus, photos by N.Novichkov:
