US Navy bets another $150M on fighter drone that skips the runway
Shield AI matches the funding as autonomous X-BAT heads toward flight testing later this year
The US Navy has pledged an extra $150 million in funding for an autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter drone developed by American defense company Shield AI. This brings the total US government investment in the project to $400 million, with Shield AI contributing an additional $150 million of its own capital. The X-BAT drone, which was unveiled at a Washington DC event last year, is set to begin flight testing later this year with mission capability expected by 2028.
The 26 ft (7.92 m) long and 39 ft (11.9 m) wingspan drone aims to provide naval commanders with long-range strike assets that can take off and land vertically from almost any location, eliminating the need for runways. If operational, X-BAT would allow the US Navy to deploy combat aircraft from vessels such as the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) - a capability currently not available to other navies.
The drone, designed as a tail-sitter, will be controlled by Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software, which has previously demonstrated in a modified F-16 fighter jet. The UK Royal Navy is also exploring the potential of X-BAT for their Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers under Project VANQUISH, with demonstration flights from a carrier envisioned by the end of next year.
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