Autonomous Fire Dominance Against Aerial Threats
Contra is an autonomous air defence system featuring two new interceptors, AD-1 Inferno and AD-2 Ambush. It allows the detection and engagement of hundreds or thousands of drone and missile threats at the same time by fusing sensors and effectors into a single air picture and executing engagement decisions autonomously under meaningful human control. The system is natively set up to integrate third-party hardware, such as other interceptors, cUAV lasers, cUAV guns, or net-based systems. Contra is capable of defending against saturation attacks, missiles, and attack drones of the latest generation.

AD-1 Inferno Jet-powered interceptor

AD-1 is a jet-powered interceptor, designed to bridge the gap where electric effectors are kinematically outmatched and legacy missile systems cost too much to deploy at scale. AD-1 launches at first detection and receives mid-course guidance from Contra radar ground stations. It can loiter, swarm, and re-engage in flight. Designed for European sovereign production at scale, it restores the cost-exchange ratio in the defender's favour. AD-1 integrates natively into Contra.

  1. Propulsion
    Jet
  2. Operating conditions
    All-weather
  3. Maximum speed
    > 700 km/h
  4. Maximum range
    ≥ 20 km
  5. Operating altitude
    > 9,000 m
  6. Launch
    Containerised

AD-2 Ambush Rocket-powered interceptor

AD-2 is a solid-rocket-motor interceptor designed for rapid intercepts at the upper edge of the threat envelope. It defeats high-speed, high-altitude one-way attack drones and subsonic cruise missiles beyond AD-1's reach. Designed for mass production on a supply chain separate from AD-1, it lets defenders sustain high-volume engagements without depending on a single production line. AD-2 integrates natively into Contra and receives mid-course guidance from Contra radar ground stations.

  1. Propulsion
    Solid rocket
  2. Operating conditions
    All-weather
  3. Maximum speed
    > Mach 2
  4. Maximum range
    ≥ 20 km
  5. Operating altitude
    > 9,000 m
  6. Launch
    Containerised
Helsing’s AI-enhanced radar seeker
Most affordable seekers rely on electro-optical (EO) or infrared (IR) cameras. EO cameras cannot reliably track targets in darkness, and neither perform in cloudy or foggy weather. The radar seekers on AD-1 and AD-2 see through them, built simply from commercial off the-shelf components. Terminal acquisition is a system-level problem. AI optimises the interceptor's trajectory to maximise the probability of success.
Altra
Contra runs on Altra, Helsing's military AI and C2 platform. With Altra as the foundation, users retain full control over decision making and prioritisation. Altra fuses radar, electro-optical, infrared, and acoustic feeds from any vendor's sensors through open, published interfaces, and connects to SitaWare and national battle management systems. Contra is designed to operate through jamming, severed links, and lost nodes.
One system, multiple missions, hardware-agnostic
The same system runs in every mission. The sensor and effector mix changes with the threat and the terrain.

  1. Civilian populations in cities, linked to national air defence.