Helsing HX-2

Germany's software-defined AI one-way attack drone — an electrically propelled loitering munition with 100 km range and on-board AI for jamming-resistant precision strikes, fielded by Ukraine and under evaluation by NATO armies.

Overview

The Helsing HX-2 is a German software-defined, electrically propelled one-way attack drone (loitering munition) developed by Munich-based Helsing GmbH. It combines an X-wing airframe, four electric motors, a 4 kg warhead pack, and an AI autonomy stack — the Altra recce-strike software — that enables GNSS-denied navigation, automatic target recognition and visual terminal guidance even under heavy electronic warfare. With a stated range of 100 km and a maximum take-off weight of ~12 kg, the HX-2 is positioned as a low-cost, mass-producible precision weapon for tactical counter-armour and artillery strikes, competing directly with Russia’s Lancet-3 and Iran’s Shahed-136. It has been combat-proven in Ukraine since early 2026 and underwent US Army evaluation at Project Flytrap in Lithuania in June 2026, scoring 15 kills from 17 launches.

Development

Helsing was founded in Munich in 2021 by Niklas Köhler and Gundbert Scherf, initially focused on defence AI software. Its first hardware venture, the HF-1 loitering munition, was co-developed with Ukrainian partner Terminal Autonomy and entered Ukrainian combat use by 2023. Roughly 1,950 HF-1 units were delivered to Ukraine by July 2025, according to the Odessa Journal. The HX-2 itself was publicly unveiled on 2 December 2024 in London, with Helsing stating the core technology had already been “developed and tested in Ukraine” Helsing. A first batch of 6,000 HX-2s for Ukraine, financed by Germany, was announced in February 2025 The Defense Post. The company subsequently raised €600 million in a Series D round in June 2025 at a €12 billion valuation tech.eu, followed by reports of a $1.2 billion round at ~$18 billion in May 2026 TechCrunch. The first frontline footage of HX-2 in Ukrainian service surfaced in April 2026 Orbital Today, and a maritime-launch variant was demonstrated off Plymouth, UK in May 2026 Militarnyi.

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