Defense - | German army plans to order drones from Stark and Helsing:
The German army plans to spend around 536 million euros on an initial delivery of new ...
deutschlandfunk.de/bundeswehr-will-drohnen-bei-stark-und-helsing-bestellen-102.html
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federal defense forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities since 1955
German company specializing in artificial intelligence for defense purposes
aircraft intended for use without onboard human crew members
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Helsing hands over software to the German Armed Forces for air defense: The AI specialist Helsing has handed over the source code for open mission systems to ...
faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/helsing-uebergibt-software-an-bundeswehr-fuer-luftabwehr-201650491.html
Boris Pistorius at Helsing: Praise for the arms industry, kamikaze drones for the Bundeswehr
faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/boris-pistorius-bei-helsing-lob-fuer-ruestungsindustrie-kamikazedrohnen-fuer-die-bundeswehr-201634498.html
German Armed Forces: Budget Committee gives green light for Rheinmetall combat drones
berliner-zeitung.de/news/bundeswehr-haushaltsausschuss-gibt-gruenes-licht-fuer-rheinmetall-kampfdrohnen-li.10030640
Rheinmetall joins forces with Boeing for large combat drones: The German Armed Forces want to buy hundreds of fighter-bomber drones to accompany combat aircraft ...
faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/rheinmetall-verbuendet-sich-mit-boeing-fuer-grosse-kampfdrohnen-accg-200688149.html
Secret and AI-controlled: A visit to the drone factory in Helsing: The next generation of aircraft is being developed in a factory in southern Germany: ...
nzz.ch/pro/geheim-und-ki-gesteuert-zu-besuch-in-der-drohnenfabrik-von-helsing-ld.1926818
German Armed Forces: Budget Committee approves purchase of kamikaze drones: The SPD, in particular, has opposed the purchase of lethal drones for the German ...
t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/militaer-verteidigung/id_101144788/bundeswehr-haushaltsausschuss-bewilligt-kauf-von-kamikazedrohnen.html
Key FactsBudget Row Over German Kamikaze Drones
Feb 25, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: morgenpost.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: morgenpost.de
- The ministry intends to procure kamikaze drones from startups Stark Defence and Helsing to support a Bundeswehr brigade in Lithuania.
- The budget committee approved initial orders of about €540 million but limited expansion options to €1 billion per start-up and required renewed parliamentary approval for additional quantities.
- Critics questioned technical maturity and warned about investor influence after reports of Peter Thiel's stake in Stark Defence, while the ministry and manufacturers point to improved accuracy in recent tests.
- Both systems are described as loitering munitions with AI support; Helsing claims HX-2 reach up to 100 km and Stark says Virtus can be deployed from varied terrain in under ten minutes and penetrate up to 80 cm of tank steel.
As true as it is that drones dominate the current war Russia is waging against Ukraine, it is also true that no one knows whether that will still be the case in five years.— Boris Pistorius, after a Bundestag Defense Committee session
OpinionKamikaze drones: Arms innovation made in Germany: The German arms industry can no longer ignore combat drones. It is important that the federal government can ...
taz.de/Kamikaze-Drohnen/!6157996/
Kamikaze drones from Helsing and Stark: Pistorius fears for purchase: Defense Minister Boris Pistorius wants to buy drones for the Bundeswehr ...
t-online.de/nachrichten/deutschland/militaer-verteidigung/id_101131654/kamikazedrohnen-von-helsing-und-stark-pistorius-muss-um-einkauf-bangen.html
New weapon against Russia: Why the German Armed Forces are now relying on masses of kamikaze drones
fr.de/politik/pistorius-bestellt-tausende-ki-kamikazedrohnen-fuer-die-bundeswehr-zr-94162735.html
Key FactsGerman Army Adopts AI Kamikaze Drones for Defense
Feb 10, 2026 · Reading time: ~30 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: merkur.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: merkur.de
- The Ministry of Defense is set to procure thousands of AI-driven combat drones swiftly for the German military.
- Two German companies, Stark Defence and Helsing, supply drone models with operational ranges up to 200 kilometers.
- These AI drones will equip the Panzer Brigade 45 stationed at NATO’s eastern flank in Lithuania starting 2026.
- A revamped procurement process allows faster delivery compared to traditional Bundeswehr acquisitions.
German drone technology fails on the Ukrainian front: only a third hit their target
fr.de/politik/deutsche-drohnentechnologie-versagt-an-der-ukraine-front-nur-ein-drittel-treffen-ihr-ziel-zr-94148451.html
Key FactsCombat Drones Face Technical Setbacks in Ukraine War
Feb 1, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: fr.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: fr.de
- Germany’s military intends to invest €600 million in combat drones currently challenged by technical issues.
- Internal reports indicate that just about one-third of drones deployed in Ukraine have successfully struck targets.
- Failures mainly stem from unstable video links and limited sensor flexibility rather than enemy interference.
- Manufacturer Helsing denies criticisms, citing nearly perfect hit rates in tests conducted in Germany, the UK, and Kenya.
We cannot tolerate misleading reports about our company and our many employees who are committed to the security of Europe.— Helsing rebuts the accusations and emphasizes the importance of their employees for the security of Europe.
Defense: Helsing and Stark build kamikaze drones for the German Armed Forces: The two start-ups receive orders to manufacture so-called "loitering ammunition" - ...
handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/industrie/verteidigung-helsing-und-stark-bauen-kamikaze-drohnen-fuer-die-bundeswehr/100195872.html
Helsing drones: Report raises doubts about the German Armed Forces' mega-deal
businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/helsing-drohnen-bericht-weckt-zweifel-an-mega-deal-der-bundeswehr/
The Rise of German Weapons Startups: Helsing and Stark aim to penetrate the heart of German arms modernization with their combat drones ...
correctiv.org/aktuelles/sicherheit-und-verteidigung/2026/01/27/aufstieg-der-deutschen-waffen-start-ups/
Drone purchase from US investor?: German Armed Forces may procure drones from company with involvement of controversial US investor Peter Thiel
fr.de/politik/bundeswehr-beschafft-drohnen-eventuell-bei-firma-mit-beteiligung-von-umstrittenem-us-investor-peter-thiel-94140726.html
Key FactsGerman Military Buys Drones from US-Backed Start-ups
Jan 27, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: fr.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: fr.de
- The German military intends to acquire combat drones from the start-ups Stark Defence and Helsing with contracts valued at 300 million euros each.
- Stark Defence is partially funded by US billionaire Peter Thiel, raising concerns about potential dependency on the United States.
- The Defense Ministry states that confidential information is restricted to authorized personnel and investors lack decision-making power.
- Politicians caution against excessive reliance on US investors and advocate for increased European funding in defense projects.
The last few weeks have clearly shown that we urgently need to reduce dependencies, including on the USA, and should not continue to expand them.— Sebastian Schäfer, Green Party budget politician, comments on the need to decrease dependency on the USA in arms procurement.
Helsing drones reportedly disappoint in frontline operations: Ukraine is not supposed to place any further orders with the German company. The company disputes ...
derstandard.at/story/3000000304855/ruestungs-startup-helsing-in-der-kritik-wegen-nicht-startender-drohnen
German drone weapon is complete: Warhead tested in Schrobenhausen: A violent detonation and deeply riddled armor plates: The German arms companies TDW and Stark ...
donaukurier.de/lokales/landkreis-neuburg-schrobenhausen/deutsche-drohnenwaffe-ist-komplett-gefechtskopf-in-schrobenhausen-getestet-20189653
Reconnaissance and effects network: / German Armed Forces successfully tests the use of unmanned drone swarms
presseportal.de/pm/176538/6174918
Paid articlePaywall German combat drones: How Helsing and Stark Defense are changing modern warfare.: In Ukraine, drones are radically changing modern warfare. While Russia is ...
faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/debatten/deutsche-kampfdrohnen-wie-helsing-und-stark-defence-moderne-kriegfuehrung-veraendern-accg-110676865.html
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