Shield AI Picks Kansas and Washington Sites for X-BAT
Shield AI has named the sites where it will test and build the X-BAT, its AI-piloted vertical take-off strike aircraft: Newton, Kansas, for flight testing and Des Moines, Washington, for production. Airforce Technology reported the selections on October 1, 2026.
A third site, Frisco, Texas, serves as the prototyping base. The company said flight testing is scheduled for late 2026, with production starting in 2029 and full-rate production in the early 2030s.
Shield AI Splits X-BAT Work Across Three Sites
| Site | Location | Role |
|---|---|---|
| X-Forge 1 | Frisco, Texas | Prototyping; home of the V-BAT |
| X-Forge 2 | Newton, Kansas | Flight, acceptance and development testing; maintenance, repair and overhaul hub |
| X-Forge 3 | Des Moines, Washington | Production |
Armor Harris, a senior vice president at Shield AI, said “flight test is where an airplane earns its way, and Kansas has the airspace, the hangars and the people who have spent their careers around airplanes.” Of the Puget Sound region he said it “has been producing aircraft at rate for seventy years.”
What Shield AI Says the X-BAT Can Do
The company describes the X-BAT as a vertical take-off and landing strike fighter flown by AI, with a combat radius of 1,000 nautical miles. Its internal bays can carry up to 2,000 pounds of ordnance, which the company compares to the F-35’s internal capacity. It is powered by a GE Aerospace F110 engine.
Shield AI says the aircraft can operate without GPS or communications using its Hivemind autonomy software. These are company claims. No independent testing has been published, and the aircraft has not yet flown.
Earlier regional reporting put the projected unit price near $27 million and said the Newton facility would be a small flight test site at the city airport. Neither figure appears in the latest report, so we treat them as the company’s earlier projections.
Timeline From First Flight to Full-Rate Production
| Stage | Target | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Flight testing | Late 2026 | Newton, Kansas |
| Production start | 2029 | Des Moines, Washington |
| Full-rate production | Early 2030s | Company schedule |
The schedule leaves roughly two years between first flights and the start of production. That is a short window for a new airframe, and the company has not published funding figures for the programme.
Shield AI Company Profile
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | San Diego, California |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Chief executive | Gary Steele (since March 2025) |
| Employees | About 1,500 (March 2026) |
| Revenue | More than $540 million expected for 2026 (company projection) |
| Products | Hivemind, V-BAT, X-BAT, Nova |
Shield AI has also been selected to provide mission autonomy technology for the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft programme, and its Hivemind software is integrated into Anduril’s Fury unmanned aircraft, according to Airforce Technology.
X-BAT FAQ
Where will the X-BAT be built?
Production is planned at Des Moines, Washington, with prototyping in Frisco, Texas.
Where will it be tested?
Newton, Kansas, which will also serve as a maintenance, repair and overhaul hub.
When will X-BAT fly?
Shield AI has scheduled flight testing for late 2026.
What is the X-BAT’s stated range?
Shield AI states a combat radius of 1,000 nautical miles.
Who makes its engine?
GE Aerospace supplies the F110 engine, according to the company.
- Airforce Technology – “Shield AI picks sites for X-BAT production and flight testing” (October 1, 2026): airforce-technology.com
- Regional reporting on the Newton, Kansas flight test facility (Yahoo News / Newton Kansan): yahoo.com
- Wikipedia – Shield AI (company data); Fortune (revenue projection)
