Poland's navy buys Shield AI's V-BAT, the drone that held up under jamming in Ukraine
A US autonomy startup turns front-line performance in Ukraine into a European naval contract, as Poland fields a shipboard ISR drone built to fly through GPS denial.
A US autonomy startup turns front-line performance in Ukraine into a European naval contract, as Poland fields a shipboard ISR drone built to fly through GPS denial.
Poland's Armament Agency signed a contract with Shield AI on June 23 for the MQ-35 V-BAT, a vertical-takeoff drone for the Polish Navy, Naval News reported. The deal covers several systems for about $16 million, with delivery by year's end, Poland's Armaments Agency said.
The V-BAT flies off a ship's deck with no runway, a tail-sitter with a 12.5-foot wingspan and a ducted-fan pusher, Janes noted. Poland will run it for maritime surveillance, tracking shipping lanes and watching over critical undersea infrastructure, the agency said.
Its selling point is what it survived. In Ukraine, the V-BAT kept flying through the electronic warfare and GPS jamming that has knocked down other drones, Breaking Defense reported. Shield AI says that same tolerance for disrupted communications and denied navigation is what suits the Baltic, where undersea cables and pipelines have come under attack.
The reach is widening fast. On June 17, US Marines launched a V-BAT off the USS Portland in the South China Sea, Interesting Engineering reported, persistent surveillance with no carrier and no runway.
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Subscribe Free →Shield AI is also in talks to build its jet-powered X-BAT in Poland and run a regional F-16 engine hub for NATO allies there, Aerospace Global News reported. That would turn a $16 million ISR buy into a production foothold on Europe's eastern flank.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Poland buy, and for how much?
Poland's Armament Agency signed a contract with Shield AI on June 23 for the MQ-35 V-BAT, a VTOL surveillance drone for the Polish Navy. The deal covers several systems for about $16 million with delivery by year's end, per Poland's Armaments Agency.
What is the V-BAT?
A tail-sitting vertical-takeoff-and-landing drone with a 12.5-foot wingspan and a ducted-fan pusher, Janes noted. It launches and lands off a ship's deck without a runway, which suits shipboard use.
Why does Poland want it?
For maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, including watching shipping lanes and protecting critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic, the agency said. Shield AI cites the V-BAT's record flying through jamming and GPS denial.
What is the Ukraine connection?
In Ukraine, the V-BAT held up under electronic warfare and GPS jamming that has downed other drones, Breaking Defense reported. That combat record is the system's main selling point for contested environments like the Baltic.
Could Poland become a production base for Shield AI?
Possibly. Shield AI is in talks to build its jet-powered X-BAT in Poland and run a regional F-16 engine hub for NATO allies there, Aerospace Global News reported.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.