German defense technology company Helsing is scaling up production of its AI-powered HX-2 strike drones for Ukraine, marking a significant advancement in autonomous military technology deployment in an active conflict zone.
The 6,000 newly ordered HX-2 drones follow a previous delivery of 4,000 HF-1 strike drones that were produced in partnership with Ukrainian industry. This latest production run establishes Helsing as one of the largest strike drone manufacturers globally, with the company's first Resilience Factory in southern Germany now operational.
The HX-2 represents a new generation of combat drones, featuring an X-wing design and electric propulsion that enables a range of up to 100 kilometers. What sets these drones apart is their advanced onboard artificial intelligence, which provides full resistance to electronic warfare measures - a critical capability in Ukraine's highly contested airspace where jamming is prevalent.
Perhaps most impressive is the HX-2's ability to operate in networked swarms controlled by a single human operator through Helsing's Altra reconnaissance-strike software. This system allows for coordination with intelligence assets, artillery systems, and battlefield management software, creating a potent network capable of targeting armored units and other military objectives beyond line-of-sight.
"We are scaling up production in response to additional orders from Ukraine, where precision mass is offsetting a numerical disadvantage in legacy systems on a daily basis," said Gundbert Scherf, co-founder of Helsing. The company's southern German facility can produce over 1,000 HX-2 drones monthly, with plans to establish additional Resilience Factories across Europe.
The HX-2 drones have been designed for mass production at significantly lower unit costs than conventional systems. Unlike many competing drones that rely on GPS or other communication systems vulnerable to jamming, the HX-2 operates using advanced artificial intelligence and resilient software, allowing it to perform effectively even in environments with extensive electronic countermeasures.