he system consists of several platforms, and delivery is planned in 2026. After necessary installation work, the V-BAT will operate from the deck of a Polish Navy vessel.
The system is intended to expand Polish Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The Armament Agency said it will support monitoring of maritime areas, including protection of critical infrastructure and communication routes.
Shield AI said the acquisition covers V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicles. The company said the V-BAT force will provide maritime domain awareness and ISR support.
The MQ-35A V-BAT is a tactical unmanned aircraft produced by Shield AI. It is designed for reconnaissance, observation and target designation in operational conditions, including environments with strong electronic interference and limited GPS availability.
Ryan Tseng, Shield AI’s president, co-founder, and chief strategy officer, said: “V-BAT has proven its capabilities in Ukraine and beyond, particularly in environments where communications and GPS links are disrupted or denied. Operations in the Baltic Sea, where security threats against critical energy and communications infrastructure are becoming more frequent, demand reliable sensor platforms and systems in all weather conditions and sea states.”
“V-BAT delivers exactly that, and will serve as a force multiplier for Poland, Baltic Sea nations, and NATO,” Tseng said. Shield AI said the platform is intended to give the Polish military a proven low-cost unmanned support system that improves commanders’ visibility of activity and threats.
V-BAT is a VTOL aircraft, meaning it takes off and lands vertically. It uses a tail-sitter configuration, standing vertically during takeoff before transitioning to horizontal flight like a conventional aircraft.
That design means the aircraft does not require a runway or catapult. It can be used from limited spaces, including ship decks, small landing sites and other austere locations.
The minimum landing area for the MQ-35A is 4.6 metres by 4.6 metres. The full system can be deployed by two people in less than 30 minutes.
The folded aircraft can be transported in the rear of a pickup truck or aboard a helicopter. These features support expeditionary operations where rapid deployment and operation without extensive infrastructure are required.
The Armament Agency said the MQ-35 V-BAT is designed to operate in radio-electronic interference environments. This includes situations with limited availability or absence of GPS signal and communications.
The system uses Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software. The software allows the aircraft to conduct missions without constant operator control and to navigate when GPS is unavailable and communications are heavily jammed.
The MQ-35A V-BAT is 2.9 metres high and has a wingspan of 3.9 metres. Its maximum takeoff weight is 73 kg, while its payload, including sensors, cannot exceed 18.1 kg.
The aircraft is powered by an engine adapted to use JP-5 heavy aviation fuel. It can remain airborne for more than 12 hours at a range of 130 to 180 km from the operator, depending on the type of communications used.
Shield AI said V-BAT is a NATO Class I unmanned aerial system with a ducted-fan design and a heavy-fuel engine. The company said it provides ISR and targeting capability at significantly lower cost and logistical burden than larger NATO Class II and III systems.
The single-engine, enclosed-rotor design enables safe, unassisted launch and recovery from ship decks, urban rooftops and austere environments. The Armament Agency said the aircraft can take off and land without additional infrastructure.
MQ-35A V-BAT unmanned aircraft have been used by the U.S. Armed Forces since 2023. The system is also being tested and fielded by selected allied countries, including Japan, the Netherlands, Greece, Romania, Indonesia and other countries developing reconnaissance and maritime and land operations capabilities.
