# Helsing targets fast drones with Contra interceptors, Defense News reports Company officials put the cost below $100,000 per shot, Defense News reports. Contra remains in testing; Helsing expects market readiness in the second half of 2027. Published 2026-10-27 by TGOs. Canonical: https://tgos.io/news/2026/10/27/helsing-targets-fast-drones-with-contra-interceptors-defense-news/ Germany's Helsing unveiled Contra on Oct. 26, pairing two air-defense missiles with artificial intelligence software to organize intercepts, Defense News reported.[1] Company officials said the offering could down fast attack drones for under $100,000 per shot.[1] Helsing CEO Gundbert Scherf said one contract had already been signed.[1] Contra remains in testing; Scherf expects market readiness in the second half of 2027.[1] Defense News did not identify the buyer, contract value or delivery date.[1] Jet-powered Inferno is intended as the main countermeasure against all but the most sophisticated threats, with a stated speed of 700 km/h and range of 20 kilometers.[1] Ambush uses a solid rocket motor.[1] A computer animation at the launch illustrated 20 Inferno and 40 Ambush interceptors launching from shipping containers against a drone swarm, with AI calculating the order and distance of intercepts.[1] ## Why it matters Defense News reports European governments are eager to buy local equipment, fearing U.S.-made systems such as Patriot will become harder to obtain after the Iran war.[1] Helsing executives said widely available hardware in the missiles' active radar seekers would spare prospective buyers concerns about Chinese-linked supply chains and U.S. export controls.[1] ## Sources 1. Defense News: Helsing unveils interceptor missiles designed to chase Russia's fast-flying Geran drones