AI-enabled strike drones to be produced in West Virginia by Helsing
NewsJuly 15, 2026
MARTINSBURG, West Virginia. Helsing plans to establish its first U.S. manufacturing facility in West Virginia to produce HX-2 artificial intelligence-enabled strike drones, the company announced in a statement.
The facility will form part of Helsing’s international network of manufacturing sites and is expected to produce more than 2,000 HX-2 drones per month once it becomes operational, the statement reads. Production capacity could increase based on demand, the company says.
The HX-2 is designed for precision-strike missions and large-scale manufacturing, according to Helsing. Thousands of the drones have been deployed in Ukraine, and the system has also been evaluated by allied military organizations, the statement adds.
The U.S. Army tested the HX-2 during Exercise Flytrap in Lithuania, Helsing states.
The company selected West Virginia following an evaluation of potential manufacturing locations across the United States. Helsing cited the state’s workforce, infrastructure, energy resources, and manufacturing base as factors in the decision.
The project expands Helsing’s presence in the United States as the country seeks to increase domestic production capacity for military systems, the statement reads.
