German defense company Helsing will showcase new military targeting software based on artificial intelligence on Wednesday, addressing concerns among European governments about being too dependent on US firms like Palantir. Following President Trump’s threats to withdraw from NATO, there has been increased wariness in Europe regarding reliance on US defense technology and data sovereignty.
Palantir is known for its Maven Smart System, used by the US and NATO allies. Helsing’s invitation highlights the importance of being able to perform precise reconnaissance and make decisions autonomously in military operations, emphasizing independence from US technology. The ongoing war in Ukraine has demonstrated the effectiveness of AI tools in speeding up military decision-making by analyzing large amounts of data from various sources.
Palantir claims that its customers maintain full control over the software and asserts it lacks a “kill switch” for remote deactivation. Concerns about US control over technologies intensified after restrictions on Starlink communications affected Ukraine’s military efforts. The German military is currently not interested in using Palantir’s Maven and plans to develop its own AI system for use by 2028.
With information from Reuters
Stay ahead of the geopolitical week.
MD Briefing delivers expert analysis across five global fronts — the Indo-Pacific, energy, geoeconomics, European security, and the Middle East — every Monday morning. Free.
