The Dutch defense company Destinus, in collaboration with the German conglomerate Rheinmetall, has announced an active acceleration of the development of a new long-range missile, Ruta Block 3, with a claimed range of up to 2,000 kilometers. Testing of this missile is scheduled to take place in Ukraine as early as 2027.
This is reported by Finway
A New Stage in the Development of the Ruta Missile Family
According to official information from Destinus, the Ruta Block 3 program aims to provide precision strikes at strategic distances, expanding the capabilities of the existing Ruta missile lineup. The new version will be built on an architecture that has already undergone combat testing and has entered the stage of serial industrial production.
Currently, serial production of the Ruta Block 1 missile has been established in the Netherlands. The next model, Ruta Block 2, is being developed with the support of the Ukrainian platform Brave1 and is currently undergoing flight tests in Ukraine. Its production is expected to begin this year.
Significance for European Security and the Defense Industry
The introduction of the Ruta Block 3 will be a significant step in the development of long-range missile technologies in Europe. This development aims to transition from limited stocks of long-range weapons to sustainable large-scale production. This will provide European countries with modern means of deterrence and defense.
“Destinus today announced the accelerated launch of the RUTA Block 3 program, designed to ensure precision strikes at a long range of 2,000 km, and to expand the operationally proven RUTA family,” the company stated on Monday, May 18.
It is worth noting that earlier President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that all long-range capabilities of Ukraine at 500–1,000 kilometers and beyond were developed by domestic forces within the country.