Defence tech startup Shield AI has unveiled X-BAT, an AI-piloted vertical takeoff and landing fighter jet designed for expeditionary and maritime operations in contested environments.
The aircraft represents a transformation in military aviation by combining vertical takeoff capabilities with a range of more than 2,000 nautical miles and a full mission payload, enabling theatre-scale operations from ships, islands, and austere sites. Brandon Tseng, Shield AI co-founder, president, and former Navy SEAL, describes airpower without runways as the holy grail of deterrence, providing forces with persistence, reach, and survivability while giving diplomacy another day.
At the core of X-BAT is Shield AI’s Hivemind, AI-enabled autonomy software designed to fly platforms in communications-denied, degraded and limited environments. Hivemind enables X-BAT to autonomously penetrate contested battlespace, dynamically team with manned aircraft and execute collaborative tactics without constant communications. This autonomy allows X-BAT to function as a drone wingman or as a standalone asset.
Flexibility for evolving threats
Armor Harris, senior vice president of aircraft at Shield AI, characterises X-BAT as a revolution in airpower combining vertical takeoff, range, multirole capability and autonomy. He notes that vertical takeoff and range address survivability on the ground and dependency on tankers, while multirole capability provides critical flexibility as threats evolve.
The aircraft is capable of strike, counter air, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Up to three X-BATs can fit in the deck space of a legacy fighter or helicopter, thereby increasing sortie generation and tempo. The platform is designed around a proven fighter-class powertrain and built to deliver fighter-class performance at an order-of-magnitude lower acquisition and lifecycle cost than fifth-generation jets.
The aircraft was unveiled at an event in Washington, DC, before an audience of military leaders, elected officials and industry partners. Shield AI, founded in 2015, is a venture-backed deep-tech company with nine offices and facilities across the US, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific.
