American defense and aerospace startup Shield AI has announced the launch of training programs with the Ukrainian Drone Systems Forces to prepare them for operating the V-BAT — a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone proven effective against electronic warfare (EW) systems.
According to a press release, Shield AI has established a presence in Ukraine by opening an office in Kyiv, staffed with engineers, mission operations personnel, and technical experts to fully support Ukrainian forces. The company has already begun working with Ukrainian Armed Forces operators, conducting training sessions to ensure they are ready to deploy the V-BAT on the front lines.
"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," noted a senior commander of the Drone Systems Training Group during a recent field visit with service members and Shield AI's local team.
The V-BAT drone, designed for sustained operations in challenging environments, offers strategic capabilities comparable to larger, costlier platforms. It excels in deep-penetration missions under conditions of GPS and communication denial and against advanced EW systems, all while maintaining reliability and adaptability. Recently, the V-BAT showcased its versatility during maritime operations in the Black Sea.
"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, president, co-founder of Shield AI, and a former Navy SEAL.
According to Tseng, drones are not the future of warfare; they represent how wars are fought today.
"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.," Tseng added.
