Overview
- The Bundeswehr intends to split roughly €900 million across Helsing, Stark and Rheinmetall, with about €300 million reportedly earmarked for each supplier.
- End-of-October trials at the Munster range reportedly saw Helsing’s HX-2 meet requirements, Stark’s Virtus miss targets and crash, and Rheinmetall not participate.
- A separate British Army exercise in Kenya also reportedly found Stark’s system underperformed.
- The Defense Ministry declined to discuss specific outcomes but said all vendors face the same qualification and certification process.
- Officials and sources frame the rapid buy as closing a loitering-munition gap and sustaining competition, with some reports indicating Helsing may deliver about half of the units.