"On October 21, 2025, in a theatrical unveiling involving a darkened auditorium, a smoke machine, and a black silken shroud that was whisked away, the war industry start-up Shield AI revealed a sleek, black, full-sized model of its proposed X-BAT drone jet fighter. "When you see it," teased Shield AI president Brandon Tseng, before the unveiling, "you'll probably think to yourself: 'Holy shit, that thing is fucking cool.'""
"Shield AI says that the X-BAT will be vertically launched to enable it to operate without runways and from a variety of ships, not just aircraft carriers. The drone will have the AI power to select its own targets and launch weapons without human control, although there may be provision for some degree of human involvement. The real X-BAT has yet to be created, and whether it will perform as advertised may be known in the fall of 2026 when, the company says, flight tests will begin."
"Pitching Shield AI's achievements, Tseng said that its NOVA scout drone was used by Israel in Gaza "to help rescue hostages." He said another one of its products, the V-BAT surveillance drone, is being used by Ukrainian troops and by the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy "to interdict and destroy billions of dollars' worth of drugs that were headed for the United States of America.""
Venture capitalists provide significant funding for cutting-edge AI weapons development used by the Pentagon while simultaneously profiting from Israeli operations in Gaza. Shield AI unveiled a full-sized model of the proposed X-BAT drone jet fighter in a theatrical ceremony on October 21, 2025. The X-BAT is described as vertically launched, able to operate from multiple ship types, and capable of selecting targets and launching weapons autonomously, with possible limited human involvement. Shield AI claims its NOVA scout and V-BAT drones have been used by Israel in Gaza, Ukrainian troops, and U.S. agencies. Flight tests for the X-BAT are claimed to begin in fall 2026.
Read at Truthout
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