Bloomberg: German 'mini-Taurus' hit with testing problems on Ukraine's front lines
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Friedrich Merz (Photo: ERA / Office of the President)

Ukraine suspends additional orders of HX-2 attack drones from the German company Helsing due to problems identified during combat tests on the front line. About reported Bloomberg, citing an internal presentation by the German Defense Ministry and five people in Germany and Ukraine with knowledge of the test results.

The drone had problems taking off during the tests. The model, which was supposed to include artificial intelligence components designed to help with pilotless control, did not have all the declared AI tools.

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Only a quarter of the drones were able to launch successfully during the advanced tests. According to three Bloomberg sources, mechanical problems with the catapult affected the results of the launches.

The drones suffered from electronic warfare jamming near the frontline, which repeatedly interrupted communication with operators. These problems have negatively affected the demand for drones, the interlocutors noted.

Germany is not planning any further orders for Helsing drones until Ukraine expresses interest in additional deliveries.

The presentation, which was reviewed by the agency, was prepared by a unit of the German Ministry of Defense under the leadership of General Gunther Schneider. A spokeswoman for the German Defense Ministry told Bloomberg that the department's leadership had not reviewed or approved the document.

Helsing told Bloomberg that it was not aware of the presentation and rejected a number of the findings, including claims of a high failure rate during takeoff of the HX-2. The company said that several units of the Ukrainian military have expressed interest in the drone.

"The hit rate of the first flights, which has been officially documented, is encouraging," Helsing said.

The company added that it believes that the HX-2's test characteristics will ensure a high level of hits on the battlefield, particularly in electronic warfare.

In response to a Bloomberg request, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said it does not comment on classified information.

The HX-2 is Helsing's first proprietary hardware product to be deployed in a combat zone. In December 2024, the company introduced it as an X-wing strike drone that combines fixed wings with quadcopter propellers and is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 100 km.

According to the company, the system has been combat tested by units of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine and has been authorized for use on the front line. Helsing also said that at least six Ukrainian military units have requested the HX-2.

In 2024, Helsing signed a contract to supply 4,000 HF-1 attack drones manufactured jointly with a Ukrainian company. According to Bloomberg, about half of these drones were delivered to Ukraine, while 40% remained in service. The document states that the parties have revised the contract to switch to the HX-2 instead of another model.

REFERENCE
German HX-2 attack drones are unofficially called "mini-Taurus" because they resemble the Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile in a smaller format. Like the Taurus, these drones are designed to engage targets with high precision at long range and have elements of autonomous guidance. The HX-2 combines the characteristics of a barrage munition and a cruise missile.

At the same time, the drone is much cheaper, more compact, and can be launched without a carrier aircraft, unlike the full-size Taurus missile. It is because of this functional similarity, combined with its smaller size and cost, that the HX-2 has been dubbed the "mini-Taurus."
  • In February 2025, Helsing said announced its intention to supply Ukraine with an additional 6,000 HX-2 drones. The new delivery of UAVs made the company one of the largest producers of attack drones in the world.
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