US-based defense contractor Shield AI has clinched a deal with the Japanese navy to supply an undisclosed number of its V-BAT drones, an AI-driven cutting-edge unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that the company claims has demonstrated its game-changing capabilities in the Ukraine war.
In its announcement, the firm highlighted the deal as an enhancement to the Japanese navy’s sea-based capabilities, describing it as Tokyo’s first-ever maritime-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform.
The agreement, signed as a direct commercial sale, was announced by Shield AI on January 22, though it does not disclose the number of units or the financial details.
The firm anticipates delivering the first of its vertical takeoff and landing V-BAT drones “later this year” as part of a planned multi-year acquisition for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
The US-based Shield AI has been actively promoting the V-BAT (also known as MQ-35) since acquiring Martin UAV in 2021, the original developer of the drone. In fact, the firm’s reputation has grown after equipping Ukraine with these drones.
The drone’s capabilities, particularly in its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) configuration, have allowed it to perform critical ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) missions in contested environments.
The V-BAT’s track record includes its selection by the US Coast Guard for maritime surveillance and its proven effectiveness in the complex electromagnetic warfare environment of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Shield AI has recently also inaugurated an office in Kyiv, thereby cementing its local presence in Ukraine with a specialized team comprising engineers, mission operations personnel, and technical experts.
The company is also ramping up its manufacturing to expand its global footprint. In November 2024, Shield AI announced a joint venture with India’s JSW Group to manufacture the V-BAT locally in India.
While Shield AI will continue to produce the V-BAT at its facilities in Dallas, Texas, the deal with the JMSDF also involves collaboration with an undisclosed “local entity,” signaling a growing network of international partnerships.
Yet, Shield AI has confirmed that the drones will still be manufactured in the United States to guarantee high standards of quality and control over the production process.
V-BAT Could Become A Key Asset In Indo-Pacific
Japan’s decision to acquire this drone, which Shield AI asserts will provide the first ship-launched ISR platform for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), highlights Japan’s growing focus on maritime capabilities in response to escalating tensions with China.
The MQ-35 V-BAT drone is capable of vertical launch and recovery and can survey extensive areas of territory.
The company says, “The V-BAT is the only single-engine, ducted-fan, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAS that is operationally deployed across multiple regions globally. With its unique ducted-fan design and the ability to launch and recover in confined spaces, it is ideally suited for shipborne and austere environments, ensuring flexibility and resilience in complex missions.”
These operations are seamlessly executed through the company’s “Hivemind AI pilot” for command and control. The same ‘AI pilot’ has proven its efficacy in real-world test flights of fighter aircraft tied to advanced US Air Force initiatives and is poised for integration into upcoming systems.
This highlights the growing potential of these drones to become a foundational element of future US military operations. The AI continuously learns and improves, meaning every aircraft in the fleet is equipped with “the best possible pilot.”
According to the company, this results in exceptional engagement success rates, with the AI achieving superhuman performance levels. In critical operations, having the top-performing AI pilot makes a decisive difference in providing unmatched dominance across missions.
However, this does not imply that the AI operates entirely without oversight. For the V-BAT drone, there is a ground station where personnel actively monitor operations. Humans remain in the loop to offer supervision and intervene to ensure mission success and operational safety.
In addition to AI capabilities, the drone could prove to be an invaluable asset for operations in the Indo-Pacific region due to its design, which is also tailored for maritime operations.
Its unique design and advanced controls allow it to take off and land in high winds, on crowded flight decks, and aboard moving vessels with landing zones as compact as 12′ x 12′.
In fact, V-BAT previously outperformed 13 competitors in securing the Navy and United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Multi-Mission Tactical UAS (MTUAS) Increment 2 Program of Record.
While the drone has received recognition for its operations in Ukraine, its manufacturer is actively positioning it as an ideal solution for Indo-Pacific operational needs.
In a previous interview, Shield AI’s co-founder, president, and chief growth officer, Brandon Tseng, succinctly explained that for the V-BAT, the focus has been on the mission of maritime domain awareness and the suppression of enemy air defenses.
“The latter being about how you find radar systems and surface-to-air missile systems so that you can tie that back into long-range kill chains completely autonomously with teams of aircraft and without the need for GPS or communications,” he added.
Moreover, with the growing aggressiveness of the Chinese military in the region, the US and Japanese militaries are focusing on maximizing coverage over a 30,000-square-mile area without depending on GPS or communications to detect, locate, and target points of interest.
This is where the company envisions its V-BAT drones having a transformative impact. Shield AI believes it can address this issue with its V-BAT Resilient Teams, a system that employs multiple autonomous V-BAT drones working together in a swarm.
Starting with four V-BATs, the system is designed for operational flexibility, not based on the number of aircraft but on mission-specific needs.
The four MQ-35 V-BATs will work as a coordinated team to find, fix, and neutralize targets, contributing to long-range kill chains. The deployment will improve the Japanese military’s ability to address emerging threats in the region.
Another key advantage is its cost-effectiveness. The company highlights that the V-BAT provides land and maritime domain awareness similar to that of Group 5 drones (aircraft typically operating above 18,000 feet MSL) and crewed aircraft like the P-8 Poseidon but at a considerably lower cost.
Meanwhile, all discussions about its specifications and cost should also not overshadow the fact that the V-BAT has already demonstrated its operational effectiveness.
According to the firm, the V-BAT has proven its performance in contested regions such as Ukraine, the Black Sea, and the Indo-Pacific and has shown its ability to endure advanced electronic warfare threats that have grounded many traditional drones.
Vijainder K Thakur, an Indian Air Force veteran, explained that V-BAT drones are equipped to counter GPS jamming by using image correlation algorithms with their optical sensors to determine their positions accurately.
He further pointed out that these drones can identify targets using the same optical sensors and relay target coordinates to systems like Howitzers or HIMARS MLRS.
In the event of communication denial, the drones can exit the jamming zone to transmit the coordinates. This capability to rapidly pass data back to a fire solution is critical for effectively neutralizing adversary positions.
Overall, the drone is poised to be a crucial asset for the Japanese Naval forces in monitoring and surveying Chinese activities in the region.
