Destinus Group BV

About Destinus

Destinus is a private European aerospace and defense company focused on scalable strike and air defense systems for European and allied armed forces. The product portfolio includes cruise missiles and interceptor drones such as Kryla, Ruta and Hornet as well as subsystems, developed with a unified autonomy stack and AI-based, software-centric modeling. Originating as a hydrogen and hypersonic technology company (demonstrators Jungfrau, Eiger, Destinus 3), the company also possesses expertise in hydrogen propulsion development and test infrastructure. Destinus pursues deep vertical integration and industrial-scale production. The company was founded in 2021 in Payerne (Switzerland) by Mikhail Kokorich and relocated its headquarters to the Netherlands in November 2024; sites exist in the Netherlands, in Payerne and near Madrid (Spain). Customers include the Ukrainian armed forces, the Dutch Ministry of Defence and the US Army.

Site

Payerne

Processes

Development and production of cruise missiles and interceptor drones (Kryla, Hornet, Ruta), Subsystems, Hydrogen propulsion development and test infrastructure, AI-based modeling and software-centric development (autonomy stack), Vertical integration / industrial manufacturing

Materials

Autonomy Stack & AI Software, Hydrogen propulsion technology, Engines, electronics, software

Certificates

ISO 9001

Founded

2021

Industries

Defense / Armaments (air defense and precision strike), Aerospace, Energy / Power generation

1. 01

   Engineering (AI-based modeling, software-centric development)

2. 02

   Component manufacturing (vertical integration, production outside Switzerland)

3. 03

   Subsystem development

4. 04

   System integration and assembly

5. 05

   Engine/system testing

6. 06

   Delivery to armed forces

Development & Manufacturing

Sites

Netherlands (Headquarters)

NL

Headquarters of Destinus Group BV (relocation 2024), Destinus NL B.V. and Destinus Energy B.V.

Payerne, Switzerland

CH

Founding site; development of engines, electronics and software; Destinus H2 Park (test park for hydrogen propulsion)

• H2 test park

Madrid (surroundings), Spain

ES

Destinus Spain, S.L.; engine test stand and test site for air-breathing hydrogen engines

• Engine test stand

Systems

Inside the production

Quality

The Destinus companies Destinus Energy B.V., Destinus NL B.V. and Destinus Spain S.L. are certified to ISO 9001.

History

1. 2021

   Founded in Payerne (Switzerland) by Mikhail Kokorich; maiden flight of the Jungfrau prototype in November 2021.

2. 2022

   Funding of CHF 26.8 million; maiden flight of Eiger; partnership with ITP Aero on the hydrogen engine (with INTA); start of development/production of drones for the Ukrainian armed forces.

3. 2023

   Spanish government grants (approx. €27 million); presentation of the liquid hydrogen-powered supersonic demonstrator Destinus 3 (Mach 1.3) at the Paris Air Show; Oleksandr Danylyuk joins as SVP Defense; planning of the Destinus H2 Park in Payerne.

4. 2024

   Relocation of headquarters to the Netherlands (November) due to Swiss arms export restrictions; company valuation approx. CHF 650 million.

5. 2025

   Agreement to acquire the Zurich-based AI aviation company Daedalean for CHF 180 million (August).

6. 2026

   Planned joint venture "Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems" (51% Rheinmetall, 49% Destinus) for cruise missiles and ballistic missile artillery; finalist in the US Army xTech|Apex Intercept program; Hornet B2 Naval Counter-UAS program with the Dutch Ministry of Defence.