Grundbert Scherf, one of the co‑founders of the Munich‑based startup Helsing, argues that NATO’s eastern flank should be protected overwhelmingly with European weapons systems rather than relying on U.S. hardware.
Speaking to “Der Spiegel”, Scherf remarked that “we have heard enough alarm bells”. He added that Europe must be able to operate militarily on the eastern flank “as far as possible, purely European”. His company is known for producing “lurking ammunition” a type of kamikaze drone.
To realize this objective, Scherf demands that German politics immediately increase orders for armaments within Europe and prompt a revision of the EU’s strict procurement rules. He noted that, absurdly, it is often easier to purchase a U.S. product than a European one. Scherf himself served as a special adviser to Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) from 2014 for two years, focusing on making German defence procurement more efficient.
The German army plans to use Helsing’s current HX‑2 model as part of its initial kit of kamikaze drones, though the German Bundestag must still approve the purchase. Addressing the widespread criticism of AI‑enabled weapons, Scherf stresses that he takes ethical concerns seriously. Many of his own employees are not from the traditional armaments sector and want to stand morally behind the products they help create. “We do not build autonomous killer machines” he said. “No machine makes a decision on its own”.
According to Scherf, the AI only automates reconnaissance. Soldiers will no longer need to analyze each image frame individually, freeing them for more informed human decision‑making. Improved reconnaissance can deliver more precise strikes than human operators who have to act under pressure. “Traditional artillery, by contrast, essentially fires ‘blind,'” Scherf concluded.
