“The future of modern defence systems lies in the intelligent and networked interplay of sensor technology and artificial intelligence,” HENDSOLT CEO Oliver Dörre said in the statement.
CA-1 Europa will be equipped with Helsing’s Centaur AI agent — an autonomous fighter jet pilot — and sits within the three-to-five tons weight class.
Partnerships with outside industry are a cornerstone of the kingdom’s ambitious growth strategy.
This is a “statement” to say “we can do this from Europe, for Europe, in a European way,” said Gundbert Scherf, Helsing CEO.
The British military appears to be in the market for “disposable” one-way drones that can carry electronic warfare (EW) and kinetic payloads, “signature managed” aircraft that could offer “reduced detectability” against integrated air defense systems and “autonomous solutions.”
An Airbus spokesperson told Breaking Defense that the partnership, featuring Kratos’s XQ-58A Valkyrie paired with Airbus-provided mission systems, is “offer[ing] our German customer something we believe they have a requirement for in the coming years.”
The program developed to "explore how trustworthy AI can be used against future threats," is fully funded by the Swedish Defence Material Administration.
Balancing security and access to data are critical to providing users with trustworthy, reliable data for real-time decisions.
"This new batch [of HX-2 loitering munitions] positions Helsing among the largest strike drone manufacturers in the world," said the company.
The Estonian Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the agreement with Helsing’s in-country subsidiary “is a key step” in exploring the potential of AI technologies, particularly those associated with “software-defined reconnaissance and strike capabilities.”
Under the terms of the co-operation agreement, Airbus intends on providing “its expertise in the interaction of unmanned and manned military aircraft,” while Helsing will “contribute its AI stack of relevant software-defined mission capabilities."