STABILIZATION IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
VISION
ASCEND’s HELIX platform redefines defense procurement by delivering an autonomous, stabilized, multi-mission sensor and effects system engineered for long-term relevance in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
HELIX is explicitly not tied to a single-mission profile, sensor, effector, or autonomy provider.
Instead, it is built as a technology-agnostic, future-proof platform that separates the stabilization and control architecture from payload layer. This design enables seamless and rapid integration of emerging technologies without requiring redesign or replacement of the system itself.
SOLVING THE CHALLENGES OF LEGACY SYSTEMS.
Most stabilized sensor and weapon systems in service today are delivered by prime contractors as closed, single-mission solutions built around fixed technologies. These systems are optimized for long acquisition cycles and are typically fielded with a specific sensor or effector configuration that is difficult and expensive to modify once deployed.
As sensing, autonomy, and counter-technology evolve on 12–24 month cycles, legacy systems struggle to keep pace. Upgrades require significant engineering effort, lengthy requalification, and often complete system replacement. This model results in slow adoption of new capabilities, high lifecycle costs, and systems that are technologically obsolete long before the end of their service life.
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HELIX is designed around a fundamentally different architectural philosophy. Rather than tightly coupling stabilization hardware to specific payload technologies, HELIX decouples the stabilization, control, and power core from sensors, effectors, and autonomy software.
This separation allows HELIX to function as a configurable platform rather than a fixed system. New sensors, kinetic defeat systems, or autonomy capabilities can be integrated as they emerge, without modifying the underlying stabilization architecture. As a result, HELIX enables operators to evolve capability by changing payloads and software—rather than replacing entire systems.
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HELIX incorporates standardized mechanical, power, and data interfaces that enable third-party payload integration without changes to the stabilization core. The platform is designed to support evolving control interfaces and autonomy frameworks as they mature.
This open-architecture approach ensures that HELIX can incorporate new technologies—including emerging sensors, novel defeat mechanisms, and advanced autonomy—on operational timelines rather than traditional acquisition timelines.
In practical terms, HELIX allows operators to:
• Rapidly deploy new capabilities as threats evolve
• Reduce lifecycle costs by upgrading payloads instead of replacing systems
• Avoid vendor lock-in
• Maintain operational relevance over extended service lives
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HELIX is sold as a base stabilized platform, with sensors, effectors, and autonomy capabilities integrated through modular packages. Pricing is structured to maintain disciplined gross margins as integration complexity increases, ensuring commercial sustainability while supporting partner ecosystems.
25LB Form Factor ~ 250LB Payload ~100+MPH
HELIX is a heavy-payload, high-speed, multi-axis stabilized platform capable of supporting up to 200 pounds of combined payload in dual-payload configurations. It is designed for initial deployment on ground vehicles and fixed-site installations, with support for continuous azimuth rotation and stabilized operation at vehicle speeds up to 100 mph.
HELIX supports multiple mission configurations, including:
• Sensor + Sensor
• Sensor + Kinetic Effector
• Kinetic Effector + Kinetic Effector (with offboard cueing)
• Offboard-cued operation using external targeting telemetry
Kinetic engagements in the initial configuration are human-in-the-loop, aligning with operational, ethical, and regulatory expectations.