Ukrainian tests of the HX-2 revealed system weaknesses, which influenced the decision to suspend further orders.
Ukraine is temporarily refraining from additional orders of the HX-2 strike drones from the German company Helsing after the systems encountered problems during testing on the front lines, Bloomberg reports.
According to an internal presentation from the German Ministry of Defense, only 25% of the HX-2 drones were able to successfully take off during tests at the 14th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is noted that mechanical issues with the catapult and the absence of certain artificial intelligence components affected the drones.
Jamming and Electronic Warfare According to Bloomberg sources, the Helsing drones were subjected to jamming near the front, disrupting communication with operators and reducing the effectiveness of the systems. As a result, demand for the HX-2 among the German military has been suspended for now.
The company rejects the conclusions of the presentation and emphasizes the encouraging results of the initial flights:
"The hit rate of the initial flights, which has been officially documented, is encouraging," said Helsing. "We are confident that the test performance of the HX-2 will also positively impact the high hit rate on the battlefield, particularly in electronic warfare conditions."
HX-2 and the European Drone Market
Founded in 2021, Helsing is one of the most valuable European defense startups and actively integrates artificial intelligence into its systems. The flagship HX-2 drone combines fixed wings with quadcopter propellers and is capable of striking targets at distances of up to 100 km.
"In the coming years, Europe will surpass even the United States in terms of deploying real autonomous systems based on artificial intelligence," said Thorsten Reil, co-CEO of Helsing.
In 2024, Helsing signed an agreement to supply 4,000 HF-1 and HX-2 drones for Ukraine, half of which have already been delivered. The company assures that Ukrainian units are actively using the delivered drones, and new orders will be placed after fulfilling the existing contract.
"At least six groups of the Ukrainian army have sent requests for HX-2 to Helsing. In response, we have already significantly expanded our production capacity," the company stated.
Expert opinion confirms that problems during testing are a normal part of the innovation cycle.
"Experimental and testing series are designed to allow companies to test their systems under various conditions," noted a spokesperson for the German Ministry of Defense.
HX-2 – What is Known About These Drones on the Front
As reported by UNIAN, the German company Helsing continues to refine its counterpart to the Russian 'Lancet' - the HX-2. The publication Defense Express reported that they are already being supplied to Ukraine in significant volumes.
Analysts shared that Ukraine had two orders totaling 10,000 HX-2 drones. The company planned to ramp up production to 2,500 units of HX-2 per month.
The publication suggests that the drones likely performed well in Ukraine, as during recent tests in Germany, among similar drones from three manufacturers, only the HX-2 from Helsing reached its target.
