26 October 2026
German company Helsing has presented the new AD-2 Ambush interceptor missile, designed to engage high-speed and low-observable aerial targets.
Militarnyi reports this from a presentation by the company’s co-founder, Gundbert Scherf, in Berlin.
The AD-2 Ambush is primarily designed to neutralize high-speed threats that exceed the capabilities of standard counter-drone systems.
“Thanks to rocket motors, an affordable all-weather radar seeker, and two independent European supply chains, these interceptors deliver autonomous fire superiority at altitudes of up to 10 kilometers, at an affordable cost and on an industrial scale,” company president Niklas Köhler reported.
AD-2 Ambush Specifications
The interceptor is equipped with a solid-fuel rocket motor that lets it reach speeds over Mach 2.5. Its combat radius exceeds 20 km.
AD-2 Ambush SAM. October 26, 2026. Still by Militarnyi from a Helsing presentation
The AD-2 Ambush has a maximum target engagement altitude of over 9 km. This allows it to intercept objects flying at altitudes beyond the reach of most low-cost air defense systems.
For target guidance, the missile uses an onboard radar seeker with artificial intelligence capabilities. During the midcourse phase, ground-based radar stations correct its trajectory with commands.
The missile can effectively engage targets at night and in adverse weather conditions.
The seeker is designed for mass production without relying on exclusive components.
AD-2 Ambush SAM seeker. October 26, 2026. Still by Militarnyi from a Helsing presentation
The AD-2 Ambush launches from dedicated transport-launch containers, each holding 20–40 missiles. They can be mounted on vehicles or railway platforms.
Helsing will manufacture the missiles at its Resilience Factories.
In July, Helsing announced that Andrii Shevchenko would head the company’s office in Ukraine.