AI-Piloted Fighter X-BAT Completes Critical Thrust-Vectoring Engine Integration

Summary

Shield AI and GE Aerospace have successfully completed integration and engine light-off testing of the Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN) for Shield AI's X-BAT aircraft, a milestone that enables the autonomous fighter's vertical takeoff and landing capability. The AVEN—originally developed and flight-tested on an F-16 in the 1990s—was refurbished and integrated into GE Aerospace's F110-GE-129E engine, bringing together proven hardware and modern AI autonomy systems.

X-BAT is a long-range, AI-piloted strike fighter designed to address modern military challenges: contested airspace, vulnerable runways, and the need for survivable aircraft. Powered by Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software, the aircraft can operate independently or as part of a crewed force package, carrying weapons up to 2,000 pounds in each bay and generating 80 kilowatts for electronic warfare and ISR payloads. With a combat radius of 1,000 nautical miles, X-BAT can take off and land vertically from ships, islands, or remote sites without requiring runways or support infrastructure.

The successful integration represents the first fully coordinated test of thrust-vectoring technology at this scale since the 1990s, demonstrating how Shield AI and GE Aerospace are adapting proven aerospace heritage for next-generation autonomous systems. X-BAT begins flight testing later this year.

• X-BAT can operate from ships, islands, and remote sites without runways, carrying up to 2,000-pound weapons and supporting electronic warfare and ISR missions
• Flight testing scheduled to begin later in 2026 following successful ground testing and integration milestones