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American aerospace and arms technology company Shield AI has announced movements into Japanese and Ukraine.
The companies' V-BAT unmanned aircraft system has been selected by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as the country’s first-ever maritime-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform.
Under the agreement, the JMSDF will acquire multiple V-BAT UAS from Shield AI, enhancing the surveillance and intelligence-gathering capabilities of its surface vessels.
The V-BAT is expected to provide advanced ISR capabilities to JMSDF surface vessels, reinforcing Japan’s defense posture and operational readiness in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Japan is a vital ally in the Indo-Pacific and critical to regional deterrence efforts, and this partnership strengthens Japan’s ability to respond effectively to crises and ensures they are equipped with a reliable and proven platform for maritime ISR missions,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-founder, and former Navy SEAL.
“The JMSDF’s selection of V-BAT reflects their understanding of the future of warfare—where operational success requires blending high-cost assets with intelligent, affordable unmanned systems like V-BAT.
“Every US and allied maritime vessel should be equipped with V-BAT to provide shipborne ISR capabilities wherever and whenever they are needed, and it’s fantastic to be making that vision a reality with JMSDF.”
The V-BAT single-engine ducted-fan vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAS has been operationally deployed in multiple regions globally, according to the company.
Using a ducted fan design and the ability to launch and recover in confined spaces, V-Bats are considered to be ideally suited for shipborne and austere environments, ensuring flexibility and resilience in complex missions - even in GPS and comms-denied environments.
Earlier this month, Shield AI announced that it had started training with Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces to prepare Ukrainian warfighters on operations with V-BAT.
In addition, Shield AI has established an office in Kyiv to create a local presence in the country and fully support Ukrainian forces.
“V-BAT is the most cost-effective, strategic targeting drone there is. In Ukraine, it has targeted strategic Russian surface-to-air missile systems while GPS and communications were jammed. It doesn’t require a runway, which everybody knows are large, stationary, first-strike missile sponges that will be destroyed on day one of any conflict,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-Founder and a former Navy SEAL.
“Drones are not the future of warfare; they are how warfare is waged today. It’s just that much of the world is behind and still allocating resources to expensive, vulnerable systems that don’t stand a chance on the battlefield.
“Our adversaries laugh behind closed doors when we spend tens of millions on legacy systems that get shot out of the sky by $1 million missiles.”
