Germany's Helsing unveils 'Europa' combat drone

German defence startup Helsing unveiled a new autonomous combat drone on Thursday, joining a race to build remote-piloted systems that can swarm into battle with fellow robots or team up with crewed fighters to help reshape the future of air warfare. Unveiling a full-size model of the angular, V-tailed drone at a factory outside Munich, Helsing said the "CA-1 Europa" would stage a first flight in 2027 and become available for military operations within the following four years. Helsing is the latest military tech firm to make a pitch to become a primary manufacturer of weapon systems in competition with heavyweight arms companies, reflecting the increasing role of AI and pressing demands for faster development times. Weighing four tonnes, the...