Rheinmetall, Destinus to form joint venture for missiles
The joint venture to be set up during the second half of 2026 will manufacture, market and deliver advanced missile systems, including cruise missiles and ballistic rocket artillery.
The Düsseldorf-based technology group Rheinmetall and Destinus, a Netherlands-based European defence technology company focused on scalable strike and interception systems, have agreed to establish a joint venture.
The joint venture, Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems — to be set up during the second half of 2026 — will manufacture, market and deliver advanced missile systems, including cruise missiles and ballistic rocket artillery, Rheinmetall said in a press release.
Rheinmetall will hold a 51 percent stake, while Destinus will hold the remaining 49 percent. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.
“We must expand the industrial base for modern defence systems in Europe. This joint venture reflects this necessity. We are combining Rheinmetall’s production capacities and experience in managing large-scale programs with Destinus’s specific technology and system design,” Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, said. “By doing so, we are laying the foundations for scalable, operational missiles that are tailored to the current requirements of the European and allied armed forces.”
“Europe is entering a new phase of scaling missile production,” Mikhail Kokorich, co-founder and CEO of Destinus, said. “Modern conflict is defined by volume and cost-per-effect. Missile systems are evolving from limited-production assets into industrial products. The real constraint in Europe today is not demand, but industrial capacity.”
This partnership combines Destinus’ system architecture, product design and scalable platform development, including systems already operationally validated and used in Ukraine, with Rheinmetall’s industrial scale, qualification capabilities and manufacturing execution, the press release said.
