WASHINGTON — Germany’s Rheinmetall and the Netherlands’ Destinus today announced plans to form a joint venture between the two to focus on advanced missile systems, including cruise missiles and ballistic rocket artillery.
The venture, called Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems, is to be formed in the second half of 2026, according to today’s release. Rheinmetall will be the majority owner of the venture with a 51 percent stake while Destinus will own the remaining 49 percent, pending the transaction’s regulatory approval.
“We are combining Rheinmetall’s production capacities and experience in managing large-scale programs with Destinus’s specific technology and system design,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger 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.”
Mikhail Kokorich, CEO of Destinus, said that recent conflicts, “including in Ukraine and the Middle East, have demonstrated that demand for scalable strike systems is no longer measured in limited batches. Instead, there is an increasing demand for thousands of systems per year, which could grow to tens of thousands over time as European and allied procurement adapts.”
The JV marks Rheinmetall’s latest industry move. It recently announced a “strategic partnership” with America’s Boeing to offer the MQ-28 Ghost Bat as a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) solution for the German Air Force. That deal is aiming for a 2029 timeline.
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Meanwhile, Destinus last month completed a two-month integration and flight test program in collaboration with America’s Shield AI. The two firms flew Destinus’ Hornet drone interceptor with Shield AI’s Hivemind software.
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