Helsing has released new footage showing its HX-2 loitering munition undergoing military-led field tests in four countries.
Published on November 10, 2025, the video focuses on autonomous targeting, networked operations, and what the company describes as rapid operator adaptability.
The footage shows the drone performing simulated strikes against static and moving targets and coordinating with a small land drone for combined target acquisition. Another sequence demonstrates what Helsing calls “automatic target detection and engagement.”
The trials used inert payloads but replicated full mission profiles from target identification to terminal approach. According to Helsing, soldiers were able to operate the HX-2 after only a few hours of instruction, highlighting the system’s intuitive controls and low training threshold.
Helsing said the evaluation included both stationary and mobile targets, one of which was a BRDM-2 reconnaissance vehicle used to demonstrate autonomous tracking and engagement.
While the company did not specify which countries conducted the field trials, the video shows what appear to be British service members operating the system, suggesting that some of the testing took place in the United Kingdom or under British supervision.
Designed for autonomy and scalability
The HX-2 is an electrically propelled x-wing loitering munition with a range of up to 100 kilometers (60 miles).
Helsing says the system has been designed for mass production, swarm operation, and resistance to jamming and electronic warfare. It operates under a human-on-the-loop model, allowing autonomous flight and tracking while maintaining operator supervision for engagement decisions.
The company also describes the HX-2 as compatible with multiple payload configurations. Integrated with Helsing’s Altra reconnaissance and strike software, multiple HX-2s can be coordinated by a single operator. Helsing says this networked control architecture enables “precision mass,” combining scalable manufacturing with AI-driven autonomy to create resilient and flexible strike options.
A growing European AI defense portfolio
The HX-2 was first unveiled in December 2024, when Helsing presented it as a cost-effective complement to artillery systems.
“With HX-2, we are creating a new smart-effector category that combines mass, autonomy and precision,” said co-founder Niklas Köhler at the time. Co-founder Gundbert Scherf added that it aims to give NATO “an edge through precision mass” while retaining human oversight.
Helsing’s work on HX-2 builds on its broader expansion into AI-enabled combat systems. The company began by acquiring Grob Aircraft to strengthen its European production base. It then collaborated with Saab on AI-controlled flight tests of the Gripen E fighter before unveiling the CA-1 Europa autonomous combat jet developed with Grob later that year.
