Shield AI's X-BAT: the AI fighter jet that doesn't require a runway.

      A fighter jet that requires no runway is nearing its first flight. Shield AI and GE Aerospace have announced the successful completion of engine light-off testing for the X-BAT, an AI-piloted strike aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing. The two companies revealed this significant milestone this week.

      The crucial component is a nozzle. Engineers integrated an Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN) into GE’s F110-GE-129E engine and tested it at a facility in Peebles, Ohio. This nozzle allows the engine's exhaust to pivot in three dimensions, enabling the jet to maneuver using its thrust. It can also balance on its tailpipe for vertical ascent and descent.

      The hardware itself is not revolutionary. Engineers developed AVEN for an experimental F-16 program during the 1990s, which was tested for 73 hours on the ground and logged 135 flight hours before being put into storage. Shield AI has refurbished this old nozzle and reactivated it, asserting this as the first fully integrated test of the system since the 1990s.

      “X-BAT is designed to take off and land vertically from any location, eliminating the need for an airbase or runway,” stated Armor Harris, a senior vice president at Shield AI.

      A self-flying jet

      The latest updates from the EU tech sector, a feature from our perceptive founder Boris, and some questionable AI-generated art. It’s available for free, weekly in your inbox. Sign up today! The no-runway feature is essential as Shield AI contends that airbases are easy targets in modern warfare. A jet that departs from a ship, island, or open terrain is more difficult to disable.

      The X-BAT operates using Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software, allowing it to fly autonomously or in coordination with crewed aircraft. It remains operational even when communication and navigation signals are jammed. Its design aligns with Europe's wingman drones, albeit on a larger scale.

      In terms of specifications, the jet can carry weapons in each of its two internal bays, accommodating loads up to 2,000 pounds (907 kg), which is roughly comparable to the F-35. It generates 80 kilowatts of power for electronic warfare and jamming equipment. Shield AI claims it has a combat radius of 1,000 nautical miles, or about 1,850 km.

      Not yet in the air

      However, important caveats exist. This testing involved the engine on the ground, not a vertical flight. The specifications are provided by Shield AI and GE, not validated by an independent source. The company states that flight testing will commence later this year.

      There is also a larger concern. An armed aircraft that operates and engages in combat without a pilot raises questions about autonomous weapons and reflects broader apprehensions about military AI. Shield AI’s motto is “the greatest victory requires no war.” Nevertheless, the X-BAT remains a strike fighter, and this year’s flight tests will determine if it can hover using that refurbished nozzle.