Shield AI's V-BAT UAS operational in Ukraine since August 2024

Shield AI's V-BAT UAS, shown as it was announced that Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces were training with the system on 15 January 2025. (Shield AI)

US-based aerospace and defence company Shield AI has confirmed its V-BAT vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has been operational in Ukraine since August 2024, when a series of operations were conducted including the tracking of a Russian air-defence system, a Shield AI representative told Janes on 24 February.

In August 2024 Russian SA-11 Buk-M1 self-propelled surface-to-air missile systems were identified and located approximately 100 km behind the front line in Russian-controlled territory during V-BAT flights conducted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) while global navigation satellite services (GNSS) and communications were jammed. The air-defence systems were subsequently destroyed by Ukrainian forces using a High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). The Shield AI representative also confirmed to Janes that “after those”, the V-BAT UAS also completed flights over the Black Sea.

During a US House Armed Services Committee hearing on 16 September 2024, Brendan Tseng, the president and co-founder of Shield AI, testified that the V-BAT was used by the Ukrainian military to successfully execute a “first-of-its-kind, deep-penetration, long-endurance, strategic targeting mission”, stressing that it resulted in “unprecedented effects for the Ukrainians”.

In a 15 January Shield AI press release, the defence company said it was training with Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) for operation of the V-BAT. The Shield AI representative said that the USF was “operating V-BATs as of January”, adding that feedback from the USF “has been extremely positive”.