And...it takes off vertically, so has no need for runways, on which China has spent years developing tech to destroy runways before our fighter jets take off.

Quote:America’s ‘BAT’ man unveils tech built to outsmart a Chinese first strike
Shield AI's X-BAT designed to counter China's strategy of destroying American aircraft before they leave the ground
By Morgan Phillips Fox News
Published October 25, 2025 6:00am EDT

Analysts say China has developed a chilling strategy for fighting a war with the United States: destroy America’s fighter jets before they ever leave the ground.

In nearly every modern conflict, disabling enemy aircraft on the ground has been the first move. When Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites earlier this year, it began by destroying Iranian runways — grounding Tehran’s air force before it could take off. Russia and Ukraine have done the same throughout their ongoing war, targeting airfields to cripple enemy aircraft. And when India clashed with Pakistan, the opening salvos hit Pakistani air bases.

Beijing has taken that lesson to heart. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has spent years building an arsenal of long-range precision missiles — including "carrier killers" like the DF-21D and DF-26 — capable of destroying U.S. aircraft carriers and striking American airfields across the Pacific. The goal: keep U.S. air power out of range before it can even launch.


Shield AI unveils its X-BAT AI fighter jet.

Now, a U.S. defense technology firm says it has built a way to fight back. Shield AI, based in San Diego, has unveiled a new AI-piloted fighter jet designed to operate without runways, without GPS, and without constant communication links — an aircraft that can think, fly, and fight on its own.

Shield AI says the jet, called X-BAT, can take off vertically, reach 50,000 feet, fly more than 2,000 nautical miles, and execute strike or air defense missions using an onboard autonomy system known as Hivemind. It’s designed to operate from ships, small islands, or improvised sites — places where traditional jets can’t. The aircraft’s dash speed remains classified.

"China has built this anti-access aerial denial bubble that holds our runways at risk," said Armor Harris, Shield AI’s senior vice president of aircraft engineering, in an interview with Fox News. "They’ve basically said, ‘We’re not going to compete stealth-on-stealth in the air — we’ll target your aircraft before they even get off the ground.’"

The jet launches vertically, and three X-BATs can fit in the space of one legacy fighter or helicopter.

According to Harris, the U.S. has spent decades perfecting stealth and survivability in the air while leaving its forces vulnerable on the ground. "The way to solve that problem is mobility," he said. "You’re always moving around. This is the only VTOL fighter being built today."

X-BAT’s Hivemind autonomy allows it to operate in denied or jammed environments, where traditional aircraft would be blind. The system uses onboard sensors to interpret its surroundings, reroute around threats, and identify targets in real time. "It’s reading and reacting to the situation around it," Harris said. "It’s not flying a pre-programmed route. If new threats appear, it can reroute itself or identify targets and then ask a human for permission to engage."

That human element, he emphasized, remains essential. "It’s very important to us that a human is always involved in making the use of lethal force decision," Harris said. "That doesn’t mean the person has to be in the cockpit — it could be remote or delegated through tasking — but there will always be a human decision-maker."


3 X-BAT fighter jets can fit in the space of one traditional fighter jet or helicopter, according to the company. (Shield AI )

Shield AI says X-BAT will be combat-ready by 2029 and is designed to deliver fifth- or sixth-generation performance at a small fraction of the cost of manned fighters. The aircraft’s compact footprint allows up to three X-BATs to fit in the deck space of a single legacy fighter or helicopter, giving commanders more flexibility in launching sorties from limited space.


The AI fighter jet is designed to be able to vertically take off from sea, mobile or tight ground space. (Shield AI )

While Shield AI isn’t disclosing specific numbers, the company says X-BAT is priced in the same range as the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, the next generation of autonomous wingmen meant to fly alongside — and eventually ahead of — manned fighters. Costs vary depending on mission systems and configurations, but the company’s goal is to scale production to keep the jet affordable and sustainable throughout its lifecycle, breaking what it calls the traditional "fighter cost curve."

The company estimates the aircraft will deliver about a tenfold improvement in cost per effect compared to legacy fifth-generation jets, including the F-35, while remaining "affordable and attritable" enough to be risked in high-end combat.


Designed with a potential Indo-Pacific conflict in mind, which would require maneuverability on small island chains. (Shield AI )

Shield AI is in discussions with both the Air Force and Navy about integrating X-BAT into future combat programs and with several allied militaries exploring joint development opportunities.

Harris said the company views X-BAT as part of a generational shift toward distributed airpower — one that mirrors what SpaceX did in space. "Historically, the United States had a small number of extremely capable, extremely expensive satellites," he said. "Then you had SpaceX come along and put up hundreds of smaller, cheaper ones. The same thing is happening in air power. There’s always going to be a role for manned platforms, but over time, unmanned systems will outnumber them ten-to-one or twenty-to-one."

For Harris, that shift is about restoring deterrence through flexibility. "X-BAT presents an asymmetric dilemma to an adversary like China," he said. "They don’t know where it’s coming from, and the cost of countering it is high. It’s an important part of a broader joint force that becomes significantly more lethal.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ai-figh...rst-strike

They made a movie about that (Stealth), I don't think it ended well.

Only reason I know this is because the movie had Jessica Biel in it.

They said AI would take away jobs, there go the pilots.

My question is, are they like drones or will they be capable of returning to base?

So I never saw in that article how the dang thing lands upon returning.

(10-27-2025 09:28 AM)Was SoMs Eagle Wrote:  So I never saw in that article how the dang thing lands upon returning.

It specifically said VTOL (Vertical Takeoff & Landing). Designed for ships and tight spaces.

We had that technology when I was in the Navy in the late '60s and early '70s.

My brother was stationed at MCAS - El Toro with the Harrier Airwing. He always talks about the amount of fuel it takes for a vertical takeoff. Hopefully the new F-35B Lightning has improved on that technology.

AI my arse.

I'd bet a paycheck there is a human/humans controlling this thing.

(10-27-2025 10:13 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  My brother was stationed at MCAS - El Toro with the Harrier Airwing. He always talks about the amount of fuel it takes for a vertical takeoff. Hopefully the new F-35B Lightning has improved on that technology.

I remember reading and watching stuff on the Harrier jet. I also remember it being a British jet, too. I just wonder when we developed that kind of technology because I don't remember seeing anything about any of our fighter jets made during my lifetime (for reference, I was born in 1982) having that kind of technology onboard. Someone familiar with fighter jets would have to answer that for me. To any and all who do so, by the way, thanks in advance.

(10-27-2025 08:45 AM)TripleA Wrote:  And...it takes off vertically, so has no need for runways, on which China has spent years developing tech to destroy runways before our fighter jets take off.

Quote:America’s ‘BAT’ man unveils tech built to outsmart a Chinese first strike
Shield AI's X-BAT designed to counter China's strategy of destroying American aircraft before they leave the ground
By Morgan Phillips Fox News
Published October 25, 2025 6:00am EDT

Analysts say China has developed a chilling strategy for fighting a war with the United States: destroy America’s fighter jets before they ever leave the ground.

In nearly every modern conflict, disabling enemy aircraft on the ground has been the first move. When Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites earlier this year, it began by destroying Iranian runways — grounding Tehran’s air force before it could take off. Russia and Ukraine have done the same throughout their ongoing war, targeting airfields to cripple enemy aircraft. And when India clashed with Pakistan, the opening salvos hit Pakistani air bases.

Beijing has taken that lesson to heart. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has spent years building an arsenal of long-range precision missiles — including "carrier killers" like the DF-21D and DF-26 — capable of destroying U.S. aircraft carriers and striking American airfields across the Pacific. The goal: keep U.S. air power out of range before it can even launch.


Shield AI unveils its X-BAT AI fighter jet.

Now, a U.S. defense technology firm says it has built a way to fight back. Shield AI, based in San Diego, has unveiled a new AI-piloted fighter jet designed to operate without runways, without GPS, and without constant communication links — an aircraft that can think, fly, and fight on its own.

Shield AI says the jet, called X-BAT, can take off vertically, reach 50,000 feet, fly more than 2,000 nautical miles, and execute strike or air defense missions using an onboard autonomy system known as Hivemind. It’s designed to operate from ships, small islands, or improvised sites — places where traditional jets can’t. The aircraft’s dash speed remains classified.

"China has built this anti-access aerial denial bubble that holds our runways at risk," said Armor Harris, Shield AI’s senior vice president of aircraft engineering, in an interview with Fox News. "They’ve basically said, ‘We’re not going to compete stealth-on-stealth in the air — we’ll target your aircraft before they even get off the ground.’"

The jet launches vertically, and three X-BATs can fit in the space of one legacy fighter or helicopter.

According to Harris, the U.S. has spent decades perfecting stealth and survivability in the air while leaving its forces vulnerable on the ground. "The way to solve that problem is mobility," he said. "You’re always moving around. This is the only VTOL fighter being built today."

X-BAT’s Hivemind autonomy allows it to operate in denied or jammed environments, where traditional aircraft would be blind. The system uses onboard sensors to interpret its surroundings, reroute around threats, and identify targets in real time. "It’s reading and reacting to the situation around it," Harris said. "It’s not flying a pre-programmed route. If new threats appear, it can reroute itself or identify targets and then ask a human for permission to engage."

That human element, he emphasized, remains essential. "It’s very important to us that a human is always involved in making the use of lethal force decision," Harris said. "That doesn’t mean the person has to be in the cockpit — it could be remote or delegated through tasking — but there will always be a human decision-maker."


3 X-BAT fighter jets can fit in the space of one traditional fighter jet or helicopter, according to the company. (Shield AI )

Shield AI says X-BAT will be combat-ready by 2029 and is designed to deliver fifth- or sixth-generation performance at a small fraction of the cost of manned fighters. The aircraft’s compact footprint allows up to three X-BATs to fit in the deck space of a single legacy fighter or helicopter, giving commanders more flexibility in launching sorties from limited space.


The AI fighter jet is designed to be able to vertically take off from sea, mobile or tight ground space. (Shield AI )

While Shield AI isn’t disclosing specific numbers, the company says X-BAT is priced in the same range as the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, the next generation of autonomous wingmen meant to fly alongside — and eventually ahead of — manned fighters. Costs vary depending on mission systems and configurations, but the company’s goal is to scale production to keep the jet affordable and sustainable throughout its lifecycle, breaking what it calls the traditional "fighter cost curve."

The company estimates the aircraft will deliver about a tenfold improvement in cost per effect compared to legacy fifth-generation jets, including the F-35, while remaining "affordable and attritable" enough to be risked in high-end combat.


Designed with a potential Indo-Pacific conflict in mind, which would require maneuverability on small island chains. (Shield AI )

Shield AI is in discussions with both the Air Force and Navy about integrating X-BAT into future combat programs and with several allied militaries exploring joint development opportunities.

Harris said the company views X-BAT as part of a generational shift toward distributed airpower — one that mirrors what SpaceX did in space. "Historically, the United States had a small number of extremely capable, extremely expensive satellites," he said. "Then you had SpaceX come along and put up hundreds of smaller, cheaper ones. The same thing is happening in air power. There’s always going to be a role for manned platforms, but over time, unmanned systems will outnumber them ten-to-one or twenty-to-one."

For Harris, that shift is about restoring deterrence through flexibility. "X-BAT presents an asymmetric dilemma to an adversary like China," he said. "They don’t know where it’s coming from, and the cost of countering it is high. It’s an important part of a broader joint force that becomes significantly more lethal.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ai-figh...rst-strike

This is exactly the kind of thing we have needed to invest in. Essentially every US Navy ship could be an aircraft carrier with these AI drones. Even the nearly useless LCS----can carry a full size helicopter and a couple of these X-Bat drones and become useful. It could even carry 4 X-Bats and no chopper.

Ive long thought the way to make the crappy LCS vessels useful was to slap a pair of deck mounted 4-cell VLS canisters and load them with ESS anti-aircraft missiles (4 to a cell) so the thing can defend itself and turn the ships into drone sea tenders. Let them carry a pair of X-Bats and a chopper---along with 4 or 5 anti-submarine hunting drones---and they become an excellent area denial sub hunting platform capable of locking down large sections of the ocean. Up until recently, I thought the prop driven Bell-247 (kind of a small drone version of the Osprey) was the best option to accomplish making every navy ship a potential aircraft carrier, but the X-Bat appears to be even more capable than the Bell-247.

Another reason the LCS armed in this manner may become important is satellites may be the very first casualty of any peer level war. That means old WWII methods of sending out scout planes might be the primary method of attaining a picture of theater wide battlefield threats. Thus the more active ships, planes, and subs a navy can put into an area----the more eyes they can have to see threats early enough to address them before they can do damage.

(10-27-2025 10:15 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  AI my arse.

I'd bet a paycheck there is a human/humans controlling this thing.

Well, of course there are. They don't pat the planes on the head and send them off into the wild blue, hoping all their systems work.

Read all the words in the thread title, especially "without humans ABOARD." Not without humans, period, lol.

(10-27-2025 10:21 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:13 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  My brother was stationed at MCAS - El Toro with the Harrier Airwing. He always talks about the amount of fuel it takes for a vertical takeoff. Hopefully the new F-35B Lightning has improved on that technology.

I remember reading and watching stuff on the Harrier jet. I also remember it being a British jet, too. I just wonder when we developed that kind of technology because I don't remember seeing anything about any of our fighter jets made during my lifetime (for reference, I was born in 1982) having that kind of technology onboard. Someone familiar with fighter jets would have to answer that for me. To any and all who do so, by the way, thanks in advance.

I was aboard a Harrier at Cherry Point NAS sometime in the late '70s or early '80s, but I don't recall the exact year. It was when they were being introduced to the Marines.

(10-27-2025 10:59 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:15 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  AI my arse.

I'd bet a paycheck there is a human/humans controlling this thing.

Well, of course there are. They don't pat the planes on the head and send them off into the wild blue, hoping all their systems work.

Read all the words in the thread title, especially "without humans ABOARD." Not without humans, period, lol.

Quote:Now, a U.S. defense technology firm says it has built a way to fight back. Shield AI, based in San Diego, has unveiled a new AI-piloted fighter jet designed to operate without runways, without GPS, and without constant communication links — an aircraft that can think, fly, and fight on its own.

It doesn't tell us how long it can fly autonomously, but it definitely says humans don't have to be involved for at least short periods of time.

(10-27-2025 11:08 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:59 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:15 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote:  AI my arse.

I'd bet a paycheck there is a human/humans controlling this thing.

Well, of course there are. They don't pat the planes on the head and send them off into the wild blue, hoping all their systems work.

Read all the words in the thread title, especially "without humans ABOARD." Not without humans, period, lol.

Quote:Now, a U.S. defense technology firm says it has built a way to fight back. Shield AI, based in San Diego, has unveiled a new AI-piloted fighter jet designed to operate without runways, without GPS, and without constant communication links — an aircraft that can think, fly, and fight on its own.

It doesn't tell us how long it can fly autonomously, but it definitely says humans don't have to be involved for at least short periods of time.

Well, I don't think a plane is gong to be sitting in a hangar, then decides it needs to go to DQ for a milkshake.

I think the point of the article is that they fly without humans on board. I'm sure the planes are making certain maneuvers without human intervention, but a human still has to be in charge of the plane, in some fashion.

(10-27-2025 11:04 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:21 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:13 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  My brother was stationed at MCAS - El Toro with the Harrier Airwing. He always talks about the amount of fuel it takes for a vertical takeoff. Hopefully the new F-35B Lightning has improved on that technology.

I remember reading and watching stuff on the Harrier jet. I also remember it being a British jet, too. I just wonder when we developed that kind of technology because I don't remember seeing anything about any of our fighter jets made during my lifetime (for reference, I was born in 1982) having that kind of technology onboard. Someone familiar with fighter jets would have to answer that for me. To any and all who do so, by the way, thanks in advance.

I was aboard a Harrier at Cherry Point NAS sometime in the late '70s or early '80s, but I don't recall the exact year. It was when they were being introduced to the Marines.

That's cool. I bet it was a sight to see up close and personal.

And I meant to say "American-made fighter jets" in my previous post. My fault for not clarifying.

This is just my opinion and it's worth 2 cents of todays money, we already have drones and we've seen that they can be pretty efficient and cheaper. They can pinpoint targets where you won't need a planeload of bombs to try to get to the target, it's like the Israelis pinpoint killing of terrorists through the window of the building they were in. It was effective, very effective.

This new weapon is cumbersome and has to have multiple technicians to handle, no?

I'd put my money on drones, even the cartels have them.

(10-27-2025 11:15 AM)olliebaba Wrote:  This is just my opinion and it's worth 2 cents of todays money, we already have drones and we've seen that they can be pretty efficient and cheaper. They can pinpoint targets where you won't need a planeload of bombs to try to get to the target, it's like the Israelis pinpoint killing of terrorists through the window of the building they were in. It was effective, very effective.

This new weapon is cumbersome and has to have multiple technicians to handle, no?

I'd put my money on drones, even the cartels have them.

I think (think being the operative word lol) this is supposed to be your more traditional fighter jet, but with AI, which means a much longer range than a drone. (But of course, I don't know much range a drone has so I could be misunderstanding things.)

(10-27-2025 11:14 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 11:04 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:21 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:13 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  My brother was stationed at MCAS - El Toro with the Harrier Airwing. He always talks about the amount of fuel it takes for a vertical takeoff. Hopefully the new F-35B Lightning has improved on that technology.

I remember reading and watching stuff on the Harrier jet. I also remember it being a British jet, too. I just wonder when we developed that kind of technology because I don't remember seeing anything about any of our fighter jets made during my lifetime (for reference, I was born in 1982) having that kind of technology onboard. Someone familiar with fighter jets would have to answer that for me. To any and all who do so, by the way, thanks in advance.

I was aboard a Harrier at Cherry Point NAS sometime in the late '70s or early '80s, but I don't recall the exact year. It was when they were being introduced to the Marines.

That's cool. I bet it was a sight to see up close and personal.

And I meant to say "American-made fighter jets" in my previous post. My fault for not clarifying.

It was def different. Took off and landed like a helicopter, but in between, it spread its wings and flew like any other jet.

(10-27-2025 11:17 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 11:14 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 11:04 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:21 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:13 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  My brother was stationed at MCAS - El Toro with the Harrier Airwing. He always talks about the amount of fuel it takes for a vertical takeoff. Hopefully the new F-35B Lightning has improved on that technology.

I remember reading and watching stuff on the Harrier jet. I also remember it being a British jet, too. I just wonder when we developed that kind of technology because I don't remember seeing anything about any of our fighter jets made during my lifetime (for reference, I was born in 1982) having that kind of technology onboard. Someone familiar with fighter jets would have to answer that for me. To any and all who do so, by the way, thanks in advance.

I was aboard a Harrier at Cherry Point NAS sometime in the late '70s or early '80s, but I don't recall the exact year. It was when they were being introduced to the Marines.

That's cool. I bet it was a sight to see up close and personal.

And I meant to say "American-made fighter jets" in my previous post. My fault for not clarifying.

It was def different. Took off and landed like a helicopter, but in between, it spread its wings and flew like any other jet.

Yeah, that part I remember reading about. I also remember seeing it "in action" on TV when American Heroes Channel was the Military Channel.

The point I was trying to make was the Brits had the technology to put it into action back then when we were -- I guess -- trying to perfect it. As CardinalJim said earlier, the Harrier's vertical takeoff and landing processes required a lot of fuel.

(10-27-2025 11:19 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 11:17 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 11:14 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 11:04 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-27-2025 10:21 AM)GeminiCoog Wrote:  I remember reading and watching stuff on the Harrier jet. I also remember it being a British jet, too. I just wonder when we developed that kind of technology because I don't remember seeing anything about any of our fighter jets made during my lifetime (for reference, I was born in 1982) having that kind of technology onboard. Someone familiar with fighter jets would have to answer that for me. To any and all who do so, by the way, thanks in advance.

I was aboard a Harrier at Cherry Point NAS sometime in the late '70s or early '80s, but I don't recall the exact year. It was when they were being introduced to the Marines.

That's cool. I bet it was a sight to see up close and personal.

And I meant to say "American-made fighter jets" in my previous post. My fault for not clarifying.

It was def different. Took off and landed like a helicopter, but in between, it spread its wings and flew like any other jet.

Yeah, that part I remember reading about. I also remember seeing it "in action" on TV when American Heroes Channel was the Military Channel.

The point I was trying to make was the Brits had the technology to put it into action back then when we were -- I guess -- trying to perfect it. As CardinalJim said earlier, the Harrier's vertical takeoff and landing processes required a lot of fuel.

We didn't develop our own VTOL/STOL aircraft until recently. The Marines just used the Harriers, and still do, although I think they are phasing them out now.

And one version of the F35 (b) can also take off and land vertically (either short TO or vertical TO).

Ah, okay. That's actually very rad. I just want to know what the fuel efficiency is. lol