Ukraine has suspended purchases of German HX-2 strike drones following critical failures in battlefield operations.
The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) produced by Helsing were unable to take off during combat tests, with only about a quarter able to launch in frontline conditions. Internal documents from the German Defense Ministry prepared in November and accounts from individuals familiar with the issue confirmed these shortcomings.
The drones have also been vulnerable to Russian military electronic warfare tactics, resulting in loss of communication between operators and the drones due to jamming attacks. Additionally, artificial intelligence components intended to enable autonomous mission completion without operator input were not installed.
Ukraine halted orders for the HX-2 drones, which were initially funded by Germany. The country had entered a deal in 2024 for 4,000 strike drones from Helsing and has delivered approximately half of that number (the older HF-1 model). However, around 40% of these delivered drones have not been used by Ukrainian forces.
Earlier assessments had criticized the HF-1 models as expensive and ineffective. Helsing denies serious issues with the HX-2, describing the battlefield launch results as “encouraging” and stating that its drones are in high demand among Ukrainian units.
The German Defense Ministry stated it did not review or approve the November presentation in question. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian defense ministry declined to comment on what it termed classified information.
Berlin had previously signed contracts worth $1.05 billion for kamikaze drones despite “disastrous” test results from October last year, when other companies failed to meet expectations. Helsing’s drones were noted for outperforming competitors during that period.