HX-2 strike drone in test with France, Germany and the UK

The HX-2 strike drone from Helsing is currently being tested as part of various projects by the German Armed Forces as well as the armed forces of France, the UK and other European countries, Simon Brünjes, Vice President Sales at Helsing, announced to media representatives at the first Helsing Media Day on the 10th July.

Brünjes began his presentation with a video showing soldiers from the British Army using the HX-2 at the Salisbury Plain Training Area. According to the Helsing manager, the troops were preparing for a deployment as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) in Estonia. Although Brünjes explained that the HX-2 has not yet been formally procured by the British armed forces, the public presentation of the video could, strictly speaking, be an indication of a potential order.

In response to media inquiries, Brünjes also confirmed that the HX-2 has also been selected for testing by the German Armed Forces. The system is understood to be one of two under consideration, the other is the OWE-V from Stark. Brünjes added that France and several other European customers are also testing the system, but declined to provide further details.

The Bundeswehr wants to have the tests completed by the end of this year in order to be able to make a potential regular procurement decision. In order to meet the ambitious schedule – the test goal, he stated, is the so-called approval for use – the Bundeswehr has, in his estimation, given the project high priority over others. This allows the schedule to be kept short without having to forego all necessary testing aspects, Brünjes explained. 

Moreover, the first deployment of the HX-2 strike drone to Ukraine is also imminent, with the first already delivered to Ukraine for qualification purposes. Helsing expects the qualification to be completed in a few weeks. 

Mass production of the HX-2 strike drone

Helsing sees the HX-2 as Europe’s answer to the Russian Lancet, which the company considers a highly effective weapon. According to Helsing co-founder Gundbert Scherf, Russia has created the first mass-produced strike drone with the Lancet. Helsing’s goal is to make the HX-2 strike drone not only more powerful but also more affordable than the Lancet. The HX-2 was therefore designed from the ground up for mass production in order to keep unit costs significantly lower than conventional systems. According to Scherf, there has already been initial feedback from Ukraine, where the price of the HX-2 is considered “very economical.” The reason for this assessment is probably due to the fact that the company is not making any economic profit from the HX-2 in Ukraine, Scherf explained. 

According to Brünjes, Helsing is already capable of producing 450 HX-2s per month at a Resilience Factory (RF-1) located in southern Germany. This capacity can be increased to 1,000 systems per month, but would require additional personnel and training. A second Resilience Factory is in preparation, which could increase the total monthly production rate to approximately 2,500 HX-2s and Helsing has announced that the first Resilience Factory for the UK will be built in Plymouth to produce its autonomous submersible vehicles, the SG-1 Fathom. 

Tech profile: HX-2

The company also provided an update on the HX-2’s system design. The strike drone was developed entirely in Germany, but uses the same software that is currently in use on the HF-1 strike drone in Ukraine, where it is continually iterated to improve performance. Helsing developed the HF-1 together with a Ukrainian partner, Helsing supplies the software component, and the Ukrainian company is responsible for the HF-1’s hardware. 1,950 HF-1s have already been delivered to Ukraine, and “several hundred” of them are said to have already been used, according to Helsing. The company showed videos of some of the HF-1’s missions in Ukraine, demonstrating the ability to engage both static and mobile targets. The experience with the HF-1 has also been incorporated into the hardware design of the HX-2, Brünjes explained. The HX-2 has X-wing design that enables it to perform significantly more agile flight maneuvers than would be physically possible with the wing design of the HF-1.

The core element of the HX-2 is the Helsing reconnaissance and control software Altra, which brings a total of three AI-enabled capabilities to the strike drone:

• GNSS-independent positioning and navigation capabilities during daylight and in limited visibility conditions. The HX-2 features a downward-facing camera that continuously compares hundreds of terrain features with a digital map stored on the strike drone, thus determining its position in space. This capability allows the HX-2 to operate safely and precisely despite electronic jamming.
• The AI-supported automatic target terminal phase tracking allows the drone to hit targets with pinpoint accuracy even if the data link to the ground station is disrupted.
• The HX-2 also features what’s known as ATR capability. ATR stands for “automatic target recognition.” This automatic target recognition capability allows the AI ​​to independently detect and classify targets or other objects. It not only uses visually generated data but also performs context-related comparisons. Technically, it would be entirely feasible for Helsing to go a step further and also hand over the engagement decision to the AI. For ethical reasons, however, this decision is left to humans, which corresponds both to the company’s commitment and to the demand of Western armed forces for a “human-in-the-loop.”

The hardware design of the HX-2 strike drone is based on typical guided missile design features, but is equipped with noticeably larger, X-shaped wings and four electric propeller drives at the tips of the four tail fins, also arranged in an X shape, instead of a rocket motor. This design allows for longer dwell times and ranges in the target area, as well as steep approach angles. According to Helsing, the range is 100 km. 

The system weight of the HX-2 is specified as 12 kg, and the maximum speed during the terminal approach to the target is up to 220 km/h. The HX-2 can be equipped with various payloads – multi-purpose, anti-tank, and anti-structure munitions with a payload weight up to 4 kg. The available payload space in the front part of the fuselage allows for payloads with a length of 310 mm and a diameter of up to 110 mm. This means that the HX-2 should be able to carry relatively powerful high explosive anti-tank warheads designed to combat modern tanks. It is worth noting that a general rule of thumb for HEAT penetration characteristics is that the jet can defeat targets up to ten times the diameter of the copper (or other metal) plate. So a warhead with a 100 mm copper disk would be able to penetrate 1,000 mm of rolled homogeneous armour in ideal conditions. This is more than enough for the side or roof armour of a tank, although advanced explosive reactive armour and active protection systems would likely degrade it significantly. 

Calibre comment

The Lancet has proven very effective in Ukraine with more than 3,400 uses recorded by the pro-Russian OSINT group LostArmour. At its peak, Russia used 300 Lancets in May 2024, striking Ukrainian vehicles and howitzers as they rushed to defend against the Kharkiv offensive. It is a valuable strike system for the Russians, able to conduct its own reconnaissance but more often works in partnership with other Russian drones like the Z-16. It appears to be held at a regiment or brigade level, often used by specialist units within the Airborne Forces, for instance, and is likely to be used by the new uncrewed systems regiments in the Russian Navy. 

Western forces will have to decide how to integrate these types of weapons into their order of battle. In the UK, for example, the Royal Artillery regiments have traditionally taken charge of new weapons like vehicle-mounted anti-tank missiles and air defence. So, the HX-2, or similar capabilities, might find their place within the Artillery. Alternatively, they could be given to infantry formations, providing them with organic precision strike at range. However, with a lot of focus on connectivity and coordinated deep-strike capabilities, there may be limits around the delegation of long-range capabilities to lots of units. 

In terms of procurement, the UK has initiated a novel procurement programme called Project ASGARD that was designed to increase the lethality of the eFP, this has included the procurement of new communications systems as well as some strike platforms. The HX-2 is a contender and the MoD has also placed an order for one way effectors with British company Modini Ltd which is to be delivered over 24 months from April 2025. 

This article was written by Waldemar Geiger with some additions for context from the Calibre Defence Team. It was originally published by Hartpunkt on July 10, 2025, and republished on Calibre Defence on 11th July 2025. The credit for the lead image, which shows an HX-2 on display, is Waldemar Geiger.