The term defense tech does more than describe the application of new and disruptive technologies to the military sector; it also refers to a genuine paradigm shift in the way the defense industry manages its internal processes, sets priorities, and structures its relationships with the armed forces.
While in the U.S. this approach is embodied by companies such as Anduril and Palantir, in Europe the model—built around speed and scalability—is being brought to the continent by Helsing, a German startup founded in 2021. Airpress discussed this transformation and Europe’s prospects with Frank Dirksen, Helsing’s chief commercial officer.
Q: Helsing was founded as a “software-defined” company and later expanded into hardware as well. How has the company’s strategy changed over these five years?
A: Helsing is still a very young company, founded five years ago, in 2021. Today, we have around 1,300 employees and are primarily based in Europe, with offices also in Munich, Berlin, London and Paris, as well as several other smaller presences across the continent and elsewhere in the world. Our DNA is that of a software-defined company, and our key strength is our artificial intelligence capabilities, which both land and air forces recognize as our distinctive element.
Q: Based also on your direct experience in Ukraine and with the Bundeswehr, which capabilities are you investing in the most?
A: There are several, starting with everything related to the entire reconnaissance and strike cycle. With our own platforms or with third-party sensors — Helsing is completely agnostic in this respect — we build an almost real-time situational awareness picture, which is then presented to an operator who is always “in the loop” or “on the loop”, with specific targets and effectors proposed. The operator can then accept or request changes to the proposal depending on the operational need.
Q: In terms of industrial approach, what distinguishes a defense-tech company from a traditional prime contractor?
A: I come from a traditional defense company, and what immediately became clear to me when I moved to a new-technology-oriented organization was speed — namely, the ability to respond to market demand much, much more quickly than others are able to. Sometimes, what causes timelines to expand is the very size of certain organisations, due to internal processes that might have been consolidated over years or decades. Being part of a “young” organization, on the other hand, brings clear benefits in terms of speed, internal progress, alignment with the customer and decision-making speed, which is appreciated by procurement agencies and armed forces across Europe.
Q: In this ongoing industrial transformation, another key element alongside speed is scalability. What is your approach to mass production?
A: This is a very important point, and to address it I will return to the HX-2 drone, which is currently being extensively used in Ukraine. In southern Germany, we have what we call a “resilience factory”, where over the past twelve months we have massively increased its monthly production.
Q: How important has the German government’s commitment to defense in recent years been to your expansion? And how do you see the Italian case?
A: Germany is clearly one of our key markets, and we are very grateful for the support we have received from the German government. Berlin is moving quickly and, in my view, is investing the right amount of resources in those new defense technologies. We are happy to give concrete follow-through to this commitment together with the German government.
Q: Looking at the broader picture, Europe has technology, expertise, startups, universities and established companies, but struggles to turn them into concrete capabilities. What is needed today to catch up?
A: In my view, everything starts with the willingness of governments. We need to start at the top, with a willingness to invest in these new technologies, making adequate budgets and clear timelines available. This is the foundation on which all industrial players, large and small, then operate. This is what Germany has done and is doing, and I believe it is also what Italy is planning to do.
Q: Helsing is also active in the United States, giving you a perspective from both sides of the Atlantic. What can Europe learn from the American model?
A: What our American partners do very well, in my view, is test and then make decisions based on the results of those tests. For example, a few months ago, a U.S. Army exercise took place in Lithuania, to which several industrial players were invited. There, our products were tested in an extremely demanding environment, partly even tougher than the operational reality, and I’m happy to say that our strike drone achieved excellent results, over 88% Mission Success Rate, once again.
Q. Helsing is often described as Europe’s first neo-prime. How do you see the evolution of the Old Continent’s defense industry over the next few years?
First of all, I believe that every industrial player has its own relevance. In the short term, I think new defense companies will continue to emerge and grow, offering their capabilities to the armed forces and taking part in field demonstrations. That is how it should be, because in the end the best ideas, the best technology and, ultimately, the best products will win. In the medium to long term, I believe that a phase of consolidation is inevitable.
