Shield AI unsheathes X-BAT, a missile-toting autonomous aircraft

Zoom in: X-BAT is designed to take off and land vertically, requiring no runway. Three can fit into the deck space of one regular fighter or helicopter, according to the company.

• Conceptual videos shared by Shield show X-BAT is 26 feet long with a nearly 40-foot wingspan. Its range is greater than 2,000 nautical miles.
• That same footage depicts its potential load-outs. One frame shows a Lockheed Martin-made Long Range Anti-Ship Missile. A second shows two RTX-made AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles. A third shows an electronic warfare package.

State of play: Vertical-takeoff-and-launch testing is set for 2026. "Fully operational flight" is expected in 2028.

What they're saying: "VTOL plus range solves survivability on the ground and dependency on tankers," Armor Harris, senior vice president of aircraft, said in a statement.

• Meanwhile, "X-BAT's ability to autonomously operate standalone or collaboratively allows it to project power when other assets aren't around and simplifies kill chains."

Zoom out: The Defense Department is seeking smart machinery to augment troops across ground, sea and air.

• The department was in 2022 juggling more than 685 artificial intelligence projects, including some tied to major weapons systems.

Go deeper: Shield AI delivering V-BAT drones to Japan's navy early this year