Kyiv has suspended an order for additional attack drones from German company Helsing after drone testing near the front line failed. About this report Bloomberg, citing a Bundeswehr report.
We are talking about the HX-2 model, a UAV with a flight range of 100 km and a speed of up to 220 km/h. The HX-2 is equipped with software based on artificial intelligence (AI), allowing it to bypass the operation of electronic warfare devices. It turned out that Ukraine did not have AI components, leaving communications between the operator and the drone vulnerable to electronic warfare.
It is also known that the Ukrainian military had difficulty launching the HX-2 – only a quarter of the drones took off. According to the agency, this was due to a mechanical problem with the catapult that launched the drone. Unsuccessful tests lead to decreased demand for the company's products. In particular, Germany, the country that paid for the supply of drones to Kiev, has no plans to place additional orders.
Helsing itself said that it was not aware of the report by the German Ministry of Defense and called information about problems related to the launch of its drones unreliable. According to the company, at least six Ukrainian military units have submitted requests related to the HX-2.
Previously, it became known that the Russian reconnaissance and strike complex Lancet disabled more than 4,000 units of Ukrainian equipment.
