Shield AI has entered a US Navy ISR program with its V-BAT drone, competing in an initiative worth up to $800 million to deliver contractor-operated surveillance capabilities for naval and joint missions.
The program brings together multiple industry participants under a contractor-owned, contractor-operated framework to provide ISR services.
V-BAT is a VTOL unmanned aircraft equipped with a ducted-fan system and powered by a heavy-fuel engine, offering endurance of over 12 hours and a payload capacity of up to 18 kilograms.
The platform is engineered for sustained ISR missions in both maritime and land-based environments, including shipborne deployments. It is particularly suited for contested operational conditions where GPS signals and communications may be disrupted.
Its compact design, featuring an enclosed rotor and single-engine setup, enables vertical launch and recovery without the need for dedicated infrastructure, making it ideal for operations from ships and remote forward locations.
Shield AI continues to expand V-BAT’s international adoption. The Royal Netherlands Navy has cleared the system for maritime surveillance roles, and the company is working with the Netherlands’ JIVC agency to customize capabilities.
Armenia has also procured the system through the US Foreign Military Sales program, while India has selected V-BAT for the Indian Army, including the integration of Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software to enhance operational capability.
