Shield AI Opens In-Country Office for Operational Support to V-BAT System
As Kyiv Post reported on Jan. 13 Shield AI, a US Silicon Valley based high-tech company had deployed its latest product, the V-BAT MQ-35A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), to Ukraine for real-life testing under combat conditions by its armed forces.
The V-BAT’s ducted fan engine allows it to launch from an area as small as 4 meters by 4 meters (13 feet by 13 feet) or the deck of a ship. It weighs 56.5 kilograms (124 pounds) which includes an 11-kilogram (24.2-pounds) payload and a flight endurance of around 10 hours. Its sophisticated suite of sensors allows real-time monitoring and target acquisition combined with a laser designator to identify targets for attack by ground or air forces.
In December the Shield AI end of year online “newsletter” posted a photo of the “trials team” working in Ukraine along with their V-BAT, saying: “In Ukraine, V-BAT demonstrated resilience against electronic warfare, showcasing autonomy in the toughest conditions and completing the first successful long-endurance, long-duration ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] and targeting mission while GPS and comms were jammed.”
Those successful trials, according to an October report in the US military issues website Defense One, had included the V-BAT locating a Russian BUK-M1 9K37 (NATO: SA-11 Gadfly) surface-to-air missile (SAM) system and calling in a HIMARS strike to destroy it during one test mission.
Following on from the trials which proved the capabilities of the system Shield AI announced last week it had opened a new office in Kyiv to enhance operational support for Ukraine’s defense forces.
In its statement the company said, “This is not just about providing hardware. We are committed to empowering Ukrainian forces with the technical support and expertise needed to fully integrate and maximize the capabilities of the V-BAT system in their defense operations.”
Shield AI’s in-country team will consist of specialized engineers, mission operators, and technical experts who it says will ensure that Ukraine’s forces will be able to successfully maintain and operate its MQ-35A V-BAT drones.
A senior commander from Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Training Group said, while visiting with troops training with Shield AI’s in-country team in the field “The presence of Shield AI’s team in Ukraine is a critical step in enhancing our operational capabilities. Their efforts are ensuring that our forces are well-prepared to meet the challenges of the frontline environment.”
The Shield AI announcement coincided with a report in the New York Times which revealed that the US had provided around $1.5 billion in support of Ukrainian drone development. The previously classified information was apparently released by the US outgoing Biden Administration in response to claims it “hadn’t done enough” to back Kyiv in its war with Russia. The report said US contributions include funding, key components, intelligence sharing, and technical support.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that US support had “a real strategic impact” and that it was obvious “…how UAVs were becoming increasingly central to the fight in Ukraine.”
Sullivan said the way that the use of drones by Ukraine and the development of its own drone industry had taught the US “invaluable lessons” that the Biden administration had begun to see integrated into America’s own defense industry.
A report in the Financial Times on Friday said a new round of investment will see the value of Shield AI almost double to $5 billion. Currently it is seeking to raise around $200 million, with investors expected to include defense and aerospace companies such as Palantir, Airbus, and L3 Harris as well as from venture funds including Andreessen Horowitz, Point72 and Riot Ventures.
According to Shield AI the performance of the next-generation V-BAT VTOL UAV on operations in Ukraine has proven it to be capable of carrying out long-range, strategic deep penetration operations, which included deployment on maritime operations in the Black Sea, regardless of the presence of electronic warfare (EW) threats.
Source: Kyiv Post