Ukraine's military rejects German Helsing drones over critical flaw - Bloomberg
Ukrainian Armed Forces reject German Helsing drones (photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine has rejected new orders of German-made HX-2 strike drones produced by Helsing due to a critical flaw discovered on the battlefield, Bloomberg reports.
It is noted that the flagship HX-2 strike drone experienced takeoff problems during testing. The model, which was supposed to include artificial intelligence components designed to assist with autonomous operation, lacked some of these tools.
According to three sources, Helsing drones were affected by electronic warfare jamming near the front line, repeatedly disrupting communication with operators.
According to a presentation and two sources, these failures undermined demand for the drones. Germany does not plan another order until there is renewed interest from Ukraine. Helsing said it was unaware of the presentation and rejected the military's criticism.
"The hit rate of the first flights, which was officially documented, is encouraging. We are confident that HX-2's test performance will translate well into high hit rates on the battlefield, too, including under electronic warfare conditions," Helsing said.
What is known about the HX-2 drone
The HX-2 is the first in-house-developed piece of equipment Helsing has delivered to a combat zone, and its success is a key indicator as the company increasingly allocates resources to developing aerial and underwater systems.
Competition for government contracts for unmanned systems is intense, with startups such as Helsing and Stark Defence competing against giants such as Rheinmetall AG.
The HX-2 drone combines fixed wings with quadcopter-style propellers. The model was unveiled in December 2024. It can strike targets up to 100 kilometers away. According to the company, the system has undergone combat testing by Ukraine's Unmanned Systems units and has received approval for deployment at the front.
In 2024, Helsing signed an agreement to supply 4,000 strike drones, jointly produced with a Ukrainian company.
Artificial intelligence in drones
According to the agency, both Helsing models intended for Ukraine were supposed to include three artificial intelligence components: terminal guidance, mid-course trajectory guidance, and visual target acquisition.
At the same time, a classified presentation stated that only 25% of Helsing HX-2 drones were able to launch during frontline testing.
German startup Helsing plans to supply the Armed Forces of Ukraine with an additional 6,000 unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with artificial intelligence.
The first reports of deliveries of AI-enabled drones from Helsing emerged in November 2024. It was reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine would receive 4,000 HF-1 type drones.
