On December 2, 2024, Helsing, an artificial intelligence (AI) specialist for defense applications, officially unveiled its HX-2 Karma intelligent loitering munition. Prior to the announcement, there had been significant speculation in the media about what Helsing referred to as a “strike drone.” This was linked to the “4,000 armed drones” that the German government had pledged to deliver to Ukraine as part of its weapons and military equipment aid package. According to Helsing, the HX-2 Karma is an electrically powered, X-wing precision loitering munition with a range of up to 100 km. The X-wing design features four wings and rotors arranged in an X shape. This new software-based, swarm-capable loitering munition is engineered to be cost-effective for mass production. Its advanced AI ensures high resistance to jamming, even in a crowded electromagnetic spectrum. The system’s capabilities were developed and tested based on Helsing’s extensive experience in Ukraine.
