Destinus and Rheinmetall are accelerating development of the new RUTA Block 3 missile, which is set to be tested in Ukraine.
According to the company, flight tests are scheduled to begin in 2027.
With a range of up to 2,000 km, RUTA Block 3 will be built on the existing RUTA missile architecture, which has already advanced from combat use to serial production.
The RUTA Block 1 is already being mass-produced in the Netherlands, while Destinus continues to expand annual production capacity for the RUTA family through its European industrial network.
The RUTA Block 2, developed with support from Ukraine’s Brave1 defense technology platform and currently undergoing flight tests in Ukraine, is expected to enter large-scale production in 2026.
The RUTA Block 3 will extend the RUTA platform into a new class of long-range strike systems while keeping development under European control.
“The program is intended to shift Europe’s long-range strike capabilities from limited stockpiles to sustainable industrial-scale production,” the company stated.
In the Netherlands, Destinus acts as the main engineering, design, and manufacturing hub for the RUTA missile family, where large-scale production is already in progress.
In Ukraine, the company will support both the development and operational testing of the RUTA Block 3 and will also manufacture key missile components locally.
In Germany, the joint venture Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems will handle mass production, certification, and final system integration for the Bundeswehr and other customers.
Production at Rheinmetall’s facility in Unterlüß is expected to begin with the RUTA Block 1 and the RUTA Block 2 in 2026–2027, complementing the current serial production already underway in the Netherlands. Production of the RUTA Block 3 is planned to follow after flight testing and certification are completed.
The Block 3 is expected to be equipped with a next-generation turbojet engine – an enlarged version of the Destinus T220, which is currently in development – along with a 250 kg-class warhead.
The system will combine autonomous navigation designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments with terminal detection and guidance systems.
All development, production, and export activities will be carried out in full compliance with applicable national and European legislation, export control regulations, and the required government approvals.
