Meet the X-BAT: Full specs on the new AI-piloted fighter jet to be built in Washington state

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Shield AI’s new X-BAT autonomous fighter jet is designed to bypass that infrastructure entirely, utilizing a vertical takeoff mechanism and a mobile launch trailer that can operate from highways, remote outposts or standard cargo ships. X-BAT at a Glance: Measuring 26 feet long with a 1,000-nautical-mile combat radius, Shield AI’s autonomous strike fighter is designed to launch vertically from highways or naval decks—bypassing traditional runways entirely.

Here is a detailed look at the aircraft’s specs, timeline, and capabilities as production sets to begin in Des Moines, Wash. Shield AI’s new X-BAT autonomous fighter jet is designed to take off and land vertically. Traditional military air operations rely heavily on fixed, vulnerable targets: long concrete runways and aircraft carriers.