{"title":"Helsing vs Shield AI: Defense & security compared","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/compare/helsing-vs-shield-ai","comparison":"Shield AI ranks 77 on the Robotics 100 with a score of 80; Helsing ranks 86 with 79. Shield AI is ahead on commercials. Level on deployment, production, progress, technology, positioning, firepower and leverage. Helsing is based in Munich, Germany, Shield AI in San Diego, United States. Shield AI: Established. Helsing is named in 36 signals and Shield AI in 46.","companies":[{"name":"Helsing","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/companies/helsing","city":"Munich","country":"Germany","stage":null,"founded":null,"last_round":null,"positioning":"Helsing is a German defense-AI and systems company producing the HX-2 strike drone, with the CA-1 Europa aircraft targeting a 2027 first flight. It raised a $1.8B Series E in July 2026 at an $18B valuation (about $4.4B raised cumulatively, Europe's largest defense startup), holds a Bundestag HX-2 contract, and acquired Keybotic and a Lura underwater platform; a German MoD briefing reporting 5-of-14 target hits in Donbas is contested by the company, which cites Russian electronic warfare. Revenue is undisclosed and HX-2 field performance is disputed.","assessed_in":{"domain":"Robotics","list":"Robotics 100","rank":86,"score":79,"tier":"member","scores":{"leverage":8,"position":8,"progress":10,"firepower":10,"commercial":6,"deployment":6,"production":6,"technology":8},"why":"Helsing develops and deploys autonomous defense systems, including HX-2 loitering munitions and HF-1 aerial drones, and has delivered AI-enabled reconnaissance and strike capabilities to armed forces.","segment":"Defense & security","layer":"Systems"},"signals_total":36,"facts_total":24},{"name":"Shield AI","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/companies/shield-ai","city":"San Diego","country":"United States","stage":"Established","founded":null,"last_round":null,"positioning":"Shield AI is a US defense-autonomy company whose V-BAT drone is deployed with the Coast Guard, Netherlands, Romania, Indonesia, and Japan, with ~$300M revenue in the year ending March 2025 and guidance above $540M for FY26 (+80%). It raised a $1.5B Series G at a $12.7B valuation in March 2026, had its Hivemind software selected for the Air Force CCA program (running on General Atomics and Anduril airframes), and won a $198M Coast Guard IDIQ at 100% on KPPs. An Aechelon acquisition is pending, and it has a GE Aerospace engine partnership.","assessed_in":{"domain":"Robotics","list":"Robotics 100","rank":77,"score":80,"tier":"member","scores":{"leverage":8,"position":8,"progress":10,"firepower":10,"commercial":8,"deployment":6,"production":6,"technology":8},"why":"Shield AI develops and deploys autonomous military aircraft and drones, including V-BAT and X-BAT, for ISR and other defense missions. Its systems also support counter-drone operations through Tracker C-UAS.","segment":"Defense & security","layer":"Systems"},"signals_total":46,"facts_total":29}],"note":"Assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence; facts and signals carry their sources."}