Direct proof of use
A 2024 Marine Corps University Master of Military Studies thesis describes Terminal Autonomy's shorter-range AQ-100 Bayonet and AQV Scalpel drones as used since fall 2023 in the Russo-Ukraine War. The same passage places Terminal Autonomy in the wartime ecosystem of volunteer-supported one-way attack drone development for Ukraine's military.
Later public reporting connects the AQ-100 Bayonet airframe to the German-funded Helsing HF-1 lane. German Aid to Ukraine reported that Helsing buys AQ 100 Bayonet drones from Terminal Autonomy, substantially modifies them with its own electronics and software, and had supplied well over 1,000 HF-1 units to the Ukrainian army. Helsing separately confirmed a previous order for 4,000 HF-1 strike drones being delivered to Ukraine in partnership with Ukrainian industry.
Sources: Militant Meddlers Russo-Ukraine War thesis, GAU German loitering munition for Ukraine, Helsing 6000 additional strike drones
Timeline
The strongest date for base AQ-100 Bayonet battlefield use is season-level: fall 2023. The thesis does not identify a specific unit, location, or individual strike, so the timeline treats September 2023 as the start of the reported use window rather than as a precise first-use date.
The delivery record becomes clearer in 2025 for the HF-1 derivative. German Aid to Ukraine reported that the German government first confirmed actual delivery of 600 HF-1 loitering munitions in January 2025, while Helsing's February 2025 release said the 4,000-unit HF-1 order was then being delivered to Ukraine.
Sources: Militant Meddlers Russo-Ukraine War thesis, GAU German loitering munition for Ukraine, Helsing 6000 additional strike drones
Role in Ukrainian service
The AQ-100 Bayonet appears in the conflict record as a Ukrainian short-range loitering munition rather than a reusable reconnaissance aircraft. Terminal Autonomy's product material describes the AQ-100 Bayonet as a tactical short-range loitering munition for precision strikes up to 60 km, designed for deployment in combat conditions and operational environments.
The HF-1 evidence should be read as derivative evidence, not as proof that every HF-1 is an unmodified AQ-100. GAU describes the HF-1 as a Helsing-modified AQ 100 Bayonet with in-house electronics and software intended to improve resilience against Russian electronic countermeasures. That makes HF-1 deliveries relevant to AQ-100 Bayonet lineage and wartime fielding while preserving the distinction between the base Terminal Autonomy product and Helsing's modified configuration.
Sources: Official AQ-100 Bayonet page, Official Terminal Autonomy homepage, GAU German loitering munition for Ukraine, Helsing 6000 additional strike drones
