European defense technology company Helsing has denied that Ukraine has suspended new orders for its HX-2 attack drones, rejecting media reports that said Kyiv was holding off after frontline testing setbacks.
Bloomberg reported on January 19, 2026, that a German Defense Ministry presentation and people familiar with the matter indicated that Ukrainian trials identified takeoff issues, missing autonomous features and vulnerability to Russian electronic warfare, prompting a pause in further orders. Germany has financed recent HX-2 deliveries to Ukraine.
In a statement the same day, Helsing said the article did not reflect the situation in Ukraine. The company said it has received concrete requests from more than six units in the Ukrainian army to order HX-2 drones, and that the regiment involved in frontline testing has asked for more than 1,000 additional systems for combat tasks.
Helsing said HX-2 has been cleared for frontline use after documented trials in Ukraine, is listed in a central ordering system used by the Ukrainian military, and that it is delivering several hundred drones per month.
As of January 20, 2026, Ukrainian and German defense authorities had not issued detailed public statements confirming whether additional HX-2 purchases have been paused, modified, or maintained. Bloomberg reported that Germany would not place follow-on orders unless Kyiv indicated renewed interest.
HX-2 and Helsing’s combat AI push
The HX-2 is an electrically propelled x-wing loitering munition with a range of up to 100 kilometers. Helsing says the system has been designed for mass production, swarm operation, and resistance to jamming and electronic warfare. The drone uses a human-on-the-loop model in which it can navigate and track autonomously while keeping operators in control of engagement decisions.
The drone is compatible with multiple payload configurations and can be coordinated in groups through Helsing’s Altra reconnaissance and strike software. According to the company, this networked control architecture allows a single operator to manage multiple HX-2s in a synchronized strike sequence.
HX-2 was first unveiled in December 2024 as a cost-effective complement to artillery fire. Its development reflects Helsing’s broader expansion into AI-enabled combat systems, which began with the acquisition of Grob Aircraft to strengthen production in Europe. Helsing later collaborated with Saab on AI-controlled flight trials of the Gripen E fighter before revealing the CA-1 Europa autonomous combat jet.
