The Ruta cruise missiles from the Dutch company Destinus are already being used by Ukraine to strike targets in russia. The company decided to announce the start of development of a new Block 3 variant, which will have a range of up to 2,000 km.
The warhead is rated at 250 kg, and an infrared homing is also being developed. These specifications match those announced for the previous Block 2 variant, which is currently undergoing flight tests in Ukraine, has a range of up to 700 km, and is scheduled to enter mass production this year.
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At the same time, the Ruta Block 3 will also feature an advanced guidance system that can operate in environments where satellite navigation is unreliable. It will be launched from standardized containers.
To achieve a range of 2,000 km, the larger Destinus T220 turbojet engine, which is currently under development, will be used. The new cruise missile is scheduled to begin flight testing as early as 2027.
From Defense Express we would like to note that it is likely that future tests of the new variant will also be conducted in Ukraine. The country has extensive practical experience both in operating its own air defense systems and in overcoming enemy air defenses.
Overall, an affordable cruise missile capable of striking targets up to 2,000 km away is a promising development that will complement drone-based deep-strike capabilities. Consequently, it will be possible to carry out more strikes against distant targets in russia.
Moreover, The EU is currently facing a shortage of long-range strike weapons, as domestic systems such as the MdCN are only now returning to production, while the procurement of U.S. Tomahawk missiles remains uncertain. Therefore, the emergence of more widely available and affordable alternatives makes sense.
At the same time, it is important to ramp up production of turbojet engines to sufficient levels, as the entire industry in Europe is currently unable to meet Ukraine's needs. That is why Destinus has partnered with German Rheinmetall to produce missiles.
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