Shield AI debuted its latest creation Wednesday in front of a crowd of military leaders, lawmakers, and industry watchers in Washington, D.C. The company already received a $200 million contract from the US Coast Guard last year for their smaller V-BAT scout drone, but the X-BAT puts them in heavier ground, literally: it’s a Group 5, the biggest class of unmanned aircraft, weighing more than 1,320 pounds.
From the outside, the X-BAT resembles a sleek predator. It’s 26 feet long, with 39-foot wings that fold out. It’s a little profile that cuts through the air. Designers shaped it without a tail, integrating the wings into the fuselage to create a low-slung profile reminiscent of older experimental birds like the Northrop Grumman X-47B. Stealth is key here; the radar signature is small due to the smooth geometry and an interior bay that swallows weapons entire. If stealth isn’t required, exterior mounts allow it to haul heavier loads in what they call “beast mode”. The system is powered by a single F-16-derived jet engine. If the afterburner ignites and this monster changes into a supersonic missile, it might achieve speeds greater than Mach 1.2. And because it takes off and lands vertically, there is no long concrete barrier between it and the combat zone. Ships at sea, dusty forward outposts, and craggy islands all make suitable starting points.
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Shield AI’s proprietary software, Hivemind, provides power to the aircraft even when no human is present. This has already been shown by assuming control of an F-16 for autonomous flight and even dogfighting versus piloted jets on the X-62A VISTA testbed. On the X-BAT, Hivemind plots courses, avoids hazards, and collaborates with other aircraft despite jammed transmissions or lost GPS. Imagine a squadron of these jets flying in formation, sharing data in real time, or one flying solo for a deep reconnaissance sweep. The software also serves a dual purpose in battle, guiding strikes or electronic jamming missions with split-second decisions.
The X-BAT travels 2,000 nautical miles on a tank, rises to 50,000 feet, and maintains 4 Gs in tight maneuvers without blinking. Sensors sweep the sky and ground in active or passive mode, sending data directly to AI for real-time calls. Weapons range from tucking air-to-air missiles within to keep the profile tidy to flinging surface strikers like the Raytheon AIM-174B on the outside tips for extra punch. Production will cost $27 million per unit; compare that to the F-35’s $100 million+ price tag, and squadrons suddenly become affordable without breaking the bank. Three X-BATs take up the same space on deck as one old-school fighter, allowing you to launch from confined carriers or concealed bases. A specialist transporter gets them road-ready and takes them from highway to hover in minutes.
Development was quick—18 months from concept to debut, with wind tunnel spins, engine roars on test stands, and radar tests to fine-tune that stealthy design. The first vertical hops will take place later this year, with full flights beginning in the autumn of 2026 and battle ready by 2028. Production will begin after that in 2029. Shield AI’s CEO, Gary Steele, believes the larger objective is “to eliminate the dangers that put military members in harm’s way.” Tseng agrees, asking the defense community to use their toolkits for speedier development.
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