Defend AI has revealed the X-BAT, a vertical take-off stealth jet designed for runway-free operations and powered by the agency’s Hivemind AI pilot.
U.S. protection expertise firm Defend AI has unveiled its newest mission, the X-BAT vertical take-off and touchdown (VTOL) stealth drone, designed to function autonomously in communications-denied environments with out the necessity for a runway. The announcement was made on Oct. 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C., throughout an occasion attended by protection trade and authorities officers, the place a scale mannequin of the plane was additionally displayed.
The corporate described X-BAT as a Group 5 unmanned aerial system (UAS), the most important class below Pentagon terminology which has a most gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) in extra of 1,320 lb. The plane is able to runway-independent operations, launched from a trailer with a vertical launch rail additionally used for the restoration, and long-range missions.
“X-BAT represents the subsequent a part of our plan, increasing U.S. and allied warfighting capability via a transformative, runway-independent plane. Airpower with out runways is the holy grail of deterrence. It offers our forces persistence, attain, and survivability, and it buys diplomacy one other day.”
— Brandon Tseng,President and Co-founder of Defend AI
A stealthy, runway-independent ‘strike jet’
The X-BAT is a low-observable tailless flying-wing plane that includes folding wings, which permit it to be transported and launched inside minutes from a truck trailer. Laptop-generated movies by Defend AI present the X-BAT raised vertically for takeoff, after which it transitions into normal ahead flight to conduct its mission, after which returns to its trailer for a vertical restoration, touchdown on its tail.
“These two issues — AI piloted and vertical takeoff launch and land — have by no means come collectively within the type of a subsequent technology plane.”
— Brandon Tseng, President and Co-founder of Defend AI
The corporate lists the size of the plane at 26 ft (7.9 m), wingspan at 39 ft (11.9 m), and a service ceiling above 50,000 ft, with an operational vary exceeding 2,000 nautical miles (3,704 km). Its most pace stays categorized, although Aviation Week stories the plane will probably be able to supersonic flight, powered by the F-16’s engine, which makes use of both the GE Aerospace F110 or Pratt & Whitney F100, relying on the variant.
Throughout the unveiling, Defend AI confirmed renderings of the X-BAT carrying AIM-120 and AIM-174B air-to-air missiles internally. The plane will embody each an inner weapons bay – holding at the very least two weapons – and an unspecified variety of exterior hardpoints, supporting payloads for strike, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, or digital warfare missions.
Earth is our runway.
Introducing X-BAT, the world’s first AI-piloted VTOL fighter jet. With vertical takeoff and touchdown, lengthy vary, and full autonomy, X-BAT delivers fight energy anyplace, anytime. That is the way forward for airpower.
Watch the video: pic.twitter.com/AnELEPOfLV
— Defend AI (@shieldaitech) October 21, 2025
“Fighter-class” propulsion and thrust-vectoring expertise
Whereas Defend AI has not but disclosed its propulsion companion, the X-BAT is designed to make use of a fighter-class afterburning engine, as talked about earlier. Talking with Breaking Protection, Armor Harris, Defend AI’s Senior Vice President of Plane, additional confirmed the plane options an “F-16-class engine.”
This will probably be paired with the thrust vectoring nozzle “initially developed for a late Nineteen Nineties F-15 thrust vectoring program,” referring to the F-15 ACTIVE (Superior Management Know-how for Built-in Autos). One other comparable system was developed for the F-16 Multi-Axis Thrust Vectoring (MATV) within the Nineteen Nineties.
Harris acknowledged that the corporate plans to construct 5 cellular launch trailers per plane, in response to Aviation Week, enabling vertical takeoff and restoration with out fastened infrastructure. Defend AI additionally displayed idea artwork exhibiting X-BAT operations from U.S. Navy ships and industrial cargo vessels, hinting at potential naval functions from ships, and expeditionary operations from distant islands and austere ahead bases.
Autonomy via Hivemind
Central to the X-BAT’s functionality is Hivemind, Defend AI’s AI-based flight autonomy software program already deployed throughout varied U.S. navy packages, about which we reported a number of instances right here at The Aviationist. The system allows uncrewed plane to navigate, coordinate, and interact targets autonomously in GPS and communications jammed environments, says the corporate.
“As a result of it’s AI-powered by our combat-proven Hivemind, it might probably fly solo, or act as a drone wingman, collaborating and maneuvering with crewed fighters.”
— Armor Harris, Defend AI’s senior vp of plane engineering
Breaking Protection reported that Harris described X-BAT as a “full” system, with Hivemind as its onboard pilot. Nonetheless, the corporate confirmed that the platform may even assist third-party autonomy software program if required by future clients.
As we beforehand reported right here at The Aviationist beforehand reported, Defend AI’s Hivemind has been demonstrated aboard Kratos BQM-177 drones and is being built-in into Anduril’s YFQ-44A, one of many prototypes chosen below the primary section of the U.S. Air Power’s Collaborative Fight Plane (CCA) program.
Flight take a look at roadmap and manufacturing outlook
In response to Aviation Week, quoting Harris, Defend AI expects to conduct the X-BAT’s first vertical takeoff and touchdown trials in fall 2026, adopted by full-system flight testing and operational validation in 2028.
Harris declined to reveal particular pricing however acknowledged that the price can be “just like different Collaborative Fight Plane,” which Aviation Week estimates at round $30 million per airframe. Defend AI additionally confirmed that industrial companions for manufacturing and engine provide will probably be introduced “within the coming weeks.”
“X-BAT delivers capabilities past the primary Increment 1 CCAs, together with digital warfare, better payload capability and prolonged vary.”
— Armor Harris, Defend AI’s senior vp of plane engineering
It’s unclear if the corporate has already plans to submit proposals for the subsequent phases of the CCA program. As beforehand reported, GA-ASI and Anduril have been chosen for the Increment 1 of the CCA program, with an Increment 2 to observe in 2026.
