Shield AI’s new unmanned, vertical-takeoff-and-landing fighter jet concept is designed to be a drone wingman or a standalone aircraft, marking the latest autonomous aircraft announcement by defense companies in recent weeks.

The X-BAT, revealed at a private event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday evening, is Shield AI’s first unmanned fighter jet offering. The San Diego-based AI developer, coming off wins for testing and fielding its autonomous software on military aircraft, sees the fighter drone’s versatility to function as a robot wingman or as a standalone platform as one of its biggest strengths.

“X-BAT’s ability to autonomously operate standalone or collaboratively allows it to project power when other assets aren’t around and simplifies kill chains,” Armor Harris, senior vice presid

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