Documents
United States In development Shield AI
X-BAT
An AI-piloted, uncrewed VTOL combat aircraft under development by Shield AI, roughly half the size of an F-35, designed to take off and land vertically without a runway while flying with an F-16-class turbofan engine and supersonic performance. Runs on Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software. First VTOL flight tests are planned for 2026, with mission capability targeted for 2028; publicly reported unit cost is approximately $27 million.
Planned service entry 2028
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-08-03
1,852
km range
15,240
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $27,000,000, Publicly reported target unit cost, pre-production program
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Development status
Operator data not public
Planned service entry 2028. Status: announced.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$68M – $95M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 1,852 km |
|---|---|
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 15,240 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | Internal weapons bay plus external hardpoints; modular mission payload bays for sensors/electronic warfare |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 7.92 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 11.89 m |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | F110-GE-129 turbofan (F-15/F-16 class) with thrust vectoring for VTOL |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $27,000,000 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Shield AI and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-08-03.
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See how it stacks up
Baykar Bayraktar Akinci Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Shield AI X-BAT? +
The Shield AI X-BAT has a maximum range of 1,852 km.
What is the main armament of the Shield AI X-BAT? +
The Shield AI X-BAT's primary weapon is the Internal weapons bay plus external hardpoints; modular mission payload bays for sensors/electronic warfare.
What is the Shield AI X-BAT used for? +
The Shield AI X-BAT is a uav / drone typically used for air superiority, isr.
How much does the Shield AI X-BAT cost? +
The Shield AI X-BAT has an approximate unit cost of 27,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
