GE Aerospace will provide propulsion and testing support to accelerate development of the X-BAT, which was unveiled on 21 October in Washington, D.C. “We’re excited to pair GE Aerospace’s proven experience in developing and scaling propulsion systems with Shield AI’s vehicle development to move faster from concept to capability,” said Amy Gowder, president and CEO, Defense & Systems at GE Aerospace.
The X-BAT is engineered for contested and austere environments and runs on Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software, enabling it to operate independently or as a drone wingman. “Together, we’re helping redefine how advanced propulsion technologies are integrated into autonomous systems built for the mission,” Gowder added.
The F110 engine brings more than 11 million flight hours of experience and the most thrust in its class, marking 40 years of continuous production and improvement. “GE Aerospace’s F110 engine is one of the most successful and reliable fighter engines in history and has the operability characteristics that X-BAT’s VTOL design demands,” said Armor Harris, senior vice president of aircraft engineering at Shield AI.
The AVEN nozzle provides thrust vectoring for vertical flight and improves manoeuvrability in horizontal flight, supporting X-BAT’s dual-mode performance. “GE Aerospace has been a great partner, and we are excited by the potential of our combined team,” Harris said.
GE Aerospace said the announcement supports its broader strategy to advance technologies for the future of flight and propulsion. The company noted that demand continues to grow for affordable and reliable propulsion solutions across both manned and unmanned defence applications.
