Helsing, a German defense and artificial intelligence (AI) company, carried out the first launch of its HX-2 attack drone from a coastal vessel in the waters of Plymouth, in the United Kingdom.
The test took place aboard a rapid insertion craft off the coast of Plymouth, which Helsing described as its “maritime home,” the company said in its announcement. “We are moving quickly to further extend the operational capabilities of the HX-2, building on our battlefield experience in Ukraine. More soon.”
The HX-2 is a 12 kg attack drone capable of engaging artillery, armored vehicles and other military targets at ranges of up to 100 km, according to Helsing. It reaches a top speed of 220 km/h and carries a multi-purpose anti-tank and anti-structure munition as its standard payload, with several payload options available.
Equipped with AI, the HX-2 was designed to search for, re-identify and engage targets even without a continuous signal or data connection, making it immune to hostile electronic warfare (EW) measures that have rendered many drone systems ineffective in contested electromagnetic environments, according to Helsing.
Over-the-air software updates allow the HX-2 to adapt to new threats and tactics without requiring hardware changes, while the swarm-capability dimension of the HX-2 comes through its integration with Altra, Helsing’s reconnaissance-strike software platform.
The recent maritime launch test extends the deployment options of the HX-2 beyond land operations into the coastal and littoral environment, a significant capability expansion for a drone designed around software-defined flexibility rather than platform-specific constraints.
Photo: Reproduction / Social media. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
