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Ukraine’s German-Made HX-2 Drone Now Launches From Boats for Black Sea Missions
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Germany’s Helsing has successfully tested the launch of its HX-2 strike drone from a fast coastal assault boat, marking a new step toward integrating the AI-enabled system into maritime operations used by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
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The company carried out the test near Plymouth, United Kingdom, where Helsing operates its maritime center. The drone was launched from a catapult mounted on the bow of a high-speed landing craft.
Helsing said the successful trial demonstrates the potential for deploying the HX-2 not only from conventional vessels, but also from unmanned naval platforms in the future.
From sea, to sky, to shore – this is the first launch of our battle proven HX-2 from a coastal vessel. The trial took place off a fast insertion craft in the coastal waters off Plymouth, Helsing's maritime home. pic.twitter.com/GWjfHjGEDA
— Helsing (@HelsingAI) May 7, 2026
The HX-2 is already being used by Ukrainian forces on several front-line sectors. In 2025, Helsing announced plans to manufacture 6,000 HX-2 strike drones for Ukraine.
The drone was first unveiled in late 2024 as a lightweight precision-strike platform designed to engage armored vehicles, artillery systems, and fortified positions. The HX-2 features an X-shaped wing configuration and rear-mounted stabilizers.
According to information released by Helsing, the drone weighs approximately 12 kilograms and is powered by four electric motors mounted in the rear section.
The system reportedly has a range of up to 100 kilometers and can reach speeds of around 220 km/h, although some Ukrainian reports place its maximum speed closer to 250 km/h and range up to 120 kilometers.
The platform is equipped with autonomous targeting and visual navigation functions intended to maintain effectiveness in contested electronic warfare environments. Helsing states that the drone can independently recognize and track targets, while multiple HX-2 systems can operate together in coordinated swarm formations.
According to Ukrainian and German reports, the maritime launch tests could expand the operational flexibility of the drone by allowing deployments from naval drones and other mobile sea-based platforms already used extensively by Ukraine in the Black Sea theater.
Earlier, the US Army began deploying Ukraine-tested Hornet one-way strike drones during NATO exercises in Lithuania, Poland, and Germany. The AI-enabled loitering munition, designed to operate in heavily jammed electronic warfare environments, has reportedly already been used against Russian targets in Ukraine at ranges exceeding 100 kilometers.
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