Breaking the mould

The future of VTOL autonomous fighters in the Indo-Pacific

In October 2025, US start-up Shield AI unveiled X-BAT, a radical new jet-powered “loyal wingman” drone intended to fly autonomously alongside manned fighters.

The company, known for its Hivemind AI flight software and the smaller V-BAT surveillance drone, describes X-BAT as an AI-piloted, runway-independent fighter. It is said to be able to launch and land vertically from trailers or austere sites, then climb to high altitude and dash at supersonic speed with a full mission load.

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