European defense company Helsing announced on June 4, 2025, that it has acquired Grob Aircraft, a manufacturer of light aircraft and training systems.
Grob Aircraft is a well-established brand in the defense industry, with its training aircraft and related systems used by many air forces worldwide, while Helsing is a startup focused on software and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven defense solutions. Both companies are based in Bavaria, in southern Germany.
Founded in 2021, Helsing, which is widely considered to be one of the rising stars of the European defense ecosystem, has raised more than €600 million to date in several funding rounds, including from Spotify founder, Daniel Ek. The Swedish entrepreneur has invested €133 million in the venture, which defines the “protection of democracies” as its core mission.
This acquisition is aligned with Helsing’s strategy of pairing AI-driven solutions with the appropriate hardware platforms in order to develop state-of-the-art defense systems. The acquisition of Grob Aircraft will add composite aircraft manufacturing capabilities to Helsing’s portfolio, opening the door to integrating the two firms’ respective technologies.
Among the systems developed by Helsing are the HX-2 strike drone, as well as advanced reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems and autonomous subaquatic vehicles. Grob, in turn, has a tried-and-tested product portfolio which includes the G120TP training aircraft and the G520NG high-altitude reconnaissance platform, as well as the related flight simulators.
Helsing is also expected to play a major role in European efforts to develop new generation weapons on the back of the lessons learned during the war in Ukraine and the central role played by drones and other types of unmanned systems.
The terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.
