Europe wants to confront drones from Russia and other enemies, but its new kamikaze drone has not passed the first test. The Virtus model, developed by the German startup Stark, failed all its objectives and lost control in mid-flight.
As revealed Financial Timesthe tests with the British Army in Kenya and with the Bundeswehr in Germany were a disaster: four attempts, four failures. In one of the tests, the drone caught fire after falling to the ground, in another, the signal was lost before impact.
Stark’s case reflects the new European military escalation and the pressure to respond to Russia is accelerating still immature projects, driven by private capital and political decisions, despite the fact that their prototypes are not prepared for combat.
The startup that wants to manufacture the European weapon of the future
Stark was born just fifteen months ago with the ambitious mission of creating a European kamikaze drone capable of competing with the Iranian Shahed used by Russia or with mass-produced American models.
In fact, behind this young company there are big names, such as Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir and PayPal; the Sequoia Capital fund and the NATO Innovation Fund, which promotes dual technologies applicable to both the civil and military spheres.
Loitering munitions have become the symbol of modern warfaresince they are cheap, quick to manufacture and can be directed to a target without the need for a human pilot.
For Europe, developing its own alternative is not only a technological issue, but it is a strategy of military independence in a context where the United States and China dominate the global market for unmanned systems.
A drone that fails more than it flies
Virtus drones were tested in real environments by the UK and German militaries, but neither mission achieved the intended impact. One of the aircraft lost connection mid-flight; another caught fire after crashing.
Stark acknowledged the errors in statements to Financial Times: «We have failed about a hundred times. This is how we test and improve,» they said. On paper, the Virtus promises a speed of between 120 and 250 km/h, a payload of up to 5 kg and a range of close to an hour. However, the theory has not passed the litmus test.
In comparison, Helsing’s HX-2 model, also European, achieved all its objectives during the same tests, revealing Stark’s technical shortcomings. The difference shows that technological talent does not always compensate for a lack of experience in military systems.
Millionaire contracts despite failure
Paradoxically, the failures of the Virtus have not stopped its commercial progress, and Stark is about to close a 300 million euro contract together with Helsing and Rheinmetall to produce 12,000 kamikaze drones for a new NATO brigade deployed in Lithuania.
The agreement, pending parliamentary approval, seeks to reinforce the defensive wall of the Atlantic Alliance against Russia. Germany, which has historically increased its defense spending, aims to place its technology companies at the front line of military innovation.
There is no doubt that Europe needs to show technological muscle, even if its prototypes still do not match the reliability of their American, Israeli or Chinese rivals.
What is a kamikaze drone and why are they so dangerous?
Kamikaze drones—also called loitering munitions—are unmanned aircraft equipped with an explosive charge that is launched at the target and self-destructs upon impact.
Unlike a missile, it can hover over the area for minutes or hours before attacking, allowing moving targets to be precisely located.
They work through GPS navigation systems, thermal cameras and autonomous guidance algorithms. Their low cost – some models are worth less than a family car – and their ease of production have made them decisive weapons in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Its danger lies not only in its explosive power, but in its ability to saturate air defenses. Dozens of kamikaze drones can be launched at the same time, overwhelming radars and anti-aircraft systems.
Europe wants technological independence, but it hasn’t taken off yet
The Stark case demonstrates the extent to which Europe is willing to pay to gain strategic autonomy from Russia. But it also exposes its weaknesses, with young companies, little industrial experience and a growing dependence on American capital.
Military technology is not accelerated by fiat, it requires time, trial, error and a solid industrial base. If the Virtus fails to fly as promised, it will not just be a setback, but a reminder that European strategic autonomy does not yet have the capacity.
Europe wants to dominate the drone sky, but as long as its prototypes continue to fall before reaching the target, it will continue to fly in tow of its rivals.