Helsing
Helsing SE is a Munich-based European defense AI company founded in March 2021 by Torsten Reil, Gundbert Scherf, and Niklas Köhler. Helsing builds AI software and autonomous weapons systems for European and allied militaries — reconnaissance-strike software (Altra), electronic-warfare AI (Cirra), an AI fighter pilot (Centaur), loitering-munition strike drones (HF-1 and HX-2), an autonomous combat aircraft (CA-1 Europa), and underwater autonomy (Lura acoustic processing, SG-1 Fathom long-endurance underwater drones). The company is sales-led and government-restricted; there is no public REST API or developer portal. This profile documents the publicly visible product surfaces and partnerships rather than endpoint shapes. Funding totals roughly €1.37B across four rounds, with a $1.2B Series E at an $18B valuation reportedly being finalized as of May 2026. Daniel Ek's Prima Materia is the largest shareholder. Public partnerships include Saab (Gripen E integration of Centaur, including the 2025 Project Beyond combat trial), Airbus, Rheinmetall, the Bundeswehr, and the Eurofighter Typhoon EK programme.
Helsing publishes 8 APIs on the APIs.io network. Tagged areas include Defense AI, European Defense, Autonomy, Loitering Munitions, and Underwater Autonomy.
Helsing’s developer surface includes developer portal, engineering blog, support, and 2 more developer resources.
APIs
Helsing Altra
Altra is Helsing's reconnaissance-strike software platform. It fuses multi-sensor and multi-drone data feeds to cover wider areas, identify targets, and coordinate strikes. Altr...
Helsing Centaur
Centaur is Helsing's AI fighter pilot. It can function as an autonomous combat agent on board fighter jets, operate independently or as part of a swarm, and integrate with allie...
Helsing Cirra
Cirra is Helsing's electronic-warfare AI for detecting, classifying, and responding to electromagnetic-spectrum threats. It powers Helsing's contribution to programmes such as t...
Helsing Lura
Lura is Helsing's underwater AI. It rapidly processes acoustic data to detect and classify ships and submarines while emitting significantly less noise than conventional sonar.
Helsing HF-1
HF-1 is an AI-enabled loitering-munition strike drone. It uses on-board AI and stored map data to navigate and target without relying on GPS. HF-1 has been used by the Ukrainian...
Helsing HX-2
HX-2 is Helsing's next-generation AI strike drone. Like HF-1 it operates without GPS and runs on-board target recognition. HX-2 is manufactured at Helsing's factory in southern ...
Helsing CA-1 Europa
CA-1 Europa is Helsing's autonomous combat aircraft. It flies Centaur as its AI pilot and is targeted for first flight in 2027.
Helsing SG-1 Fathom
SG-1 Fathom is Helsing's long-endurance underwater drone, capable of operating submerged for up to 90 days and running Lura's acoustic-processing AI on board.
Features
Fuses multi-sensor and multi-drone data to identify targets and coordinate strikes across a wider area.
Autonomous combat agent for fighter aircraft, demonstrated in 2025's Project Beyond against a human-piloted Gripen.
AI for detecting, classifying, and responding to electromagnetic-spectrum threats; integrated into the Eurofighter Typhoon EK programme.
Quiet acoustic processing for detection and classification of ships and submarines.
GPS-independent AI strike drone fielded in Ukraine.
Next-generation GPS-independent AI strike drone manufactured in southern Germany.
Helsing's own UCAV platform flying Centaur, first flight targeted for 2027.
Long-endurance underwater drone capable of 90-day submerged operations running Lura on board.
European-headquartered AI defense supplier serving Germany, France, the UK, Estonia, Ukraine, and allied militaries.
Use Cases
Provide Centaur AI fighter-pilot capability for European and allied air forces, including Saab Gripen and Eurofighter programmes.
Deliver HF-1 and HX-2 GPS-independent strike drones to allied militaries and Ukraine.
Provide Cirra EW AI inside platforms such as the Eurofighter Typhoon EK.
Run Lura acoustic processing on SG-1 Fathom and partner platforms for anti-submarine warfare.
Use Altra to fuse multi-drone and multi-sensor feeds for targeting and strike coordination.
Integrations
Centaur integrated into the Saab Gripen E; 2025 Project Beyond combat trial.
Helsing's AI (including Cirra) integrated into the Eurofighter Typhoon EK electronic-warfare variant.
Strategic partnership for European defense aerospace programmes.
Industrial partnership inside Germany's defense base.
Customer relationship with the German armed forces.
Operational user of HF-1 strike drones in the defence against Russia's invasion.