The brief

Analyst view

• Helsing closed a $1.8 billion Series E in July 2026, making it the most valuable defense startup in Europe at $18 billion.
• The company's CA-1 Europa fighter drone is scheduled for first flight in 2027 and service by 2031.
• Its HX-2 loitering munition, used in Ukraine, can strike targets up to 100 km away but faced technical issues in early 2026 trials.

Technical approach

As reported

AI Autonomy

Centaur AI pilot stack

Helsing's AI system, called Centaur, uses reinforcement learning to enable human-level combat performance and rapid decision-making for autonomous aircraft.

Aircraft Design

Stealth-featured airframes

The CA-1 Europa uses angular, V-tailed design optimized for internal weapon carriage, similar to loyal-wingman drones like the MQ-28 Ghost Bat.

Swarm Operations

Multi-unit coordination

Both the CA-1 and HX-2 are designed to operate in coordinated swarms or alongside crewed fighters without human intervention.