Berlin plans major drone procurement for Bundeswehr expansion

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence is preparing to procure thousands of strike drones from domestic startups Helsing and Stark Defence, in a deal valued at approximately €536 million.

Deliveries are expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The plans are outlined in materials submitted for approval to the Bundestag’s Budget Committee, which must authorize all defence procurements exceeding €25 million, Caliber.Az reports, citing German media.

The drones are intended for several units of the Bundeswehr, including a German mechanized brigade currently being established in Lithuania. Full deployment of the brigade is scheduled for 2027.

The procurement is expected to include two propeller-driven multicopter models. The heavier platform is the Virtus, developed by Stark Defence, which can carry up to five kilograms of explosives. The drone is capable of vertical takeoff without dedicated launch infrastructure and can operate in confined environments. It reportedly offers up to one hour of endurance, a maximum range of 100 kilometres, and speeds of up to 250 km/h.

Virtus can be pre-programmed to strike fixed targets or remotely controlled to engage moving ones. The system is designed to be resilient against electronic warfare through the use of artificial intelligence that processes visual and navigational data. A single operator is expected to be able to control multiple drones simultaneously.

The second platform under consideration is the HX-2, produced by Helsing. Significantly lighter than Virtus, the HX-2 has undergone initial testing in Ukraine and is currently being refined based on operational feedback. Unofficial reports indicate that Ukraine temporarily halted further orders after identifying technical issues.

The HX-2 is launched from a dedicated launcher but is also capable of taking off in enclosed spaces. Like Virtus, it is advertised as having enhanced resistance to electronic warfare through AI-enabled systems, as well as the ability to operate in coordinated drone groups.

In parallel, speculation persists that German defence conglomerate Rheinmetall may soon unveil its own drone platforms for the Bundeswehr. Should these systems meet operational requirements, they could also be incorporated into the procurement program.

By Vafa Guliyeva