News & Updates
The latest news and updates from companies in the WLTH portfolio.
Shield AI Plans Des Moines, Washington, AI-Piloted Aircraft Manufacturing Operations - Area Development
Defense technology company Shield AI plans to establish operations in Des Moines, Washington. The more than $300 million project is expected to create approximately 4,000 jobs by the early 2030s. The investment will include the construction of a 420,000-square-foot manufacturing and engineering facility at Des Moines Creek Business Park West where the company will manufacture its X-BAT AI-piloted vertical takeoff and landing fighter aircraft. Production is scheduled to begin in 2029. "Washington state has once again proven that it is the premier global leader for innovation," said Washington State Department of Commerce Interim Director Sarah Clifthorne. "Our world-class talent and robust manufacturing ecosystem continue to draw pioneering companies like Shield AI to our region. We look forward to the thousands of high-quality jobs it will create for the Greater Seattle community." Shield AI specializes in the development of autonomous aircraft and artificial intelligence-powered defense technologies. The company develops AI pilots, unmanned aircraft systems and autonomous flight software for military and national security applications. "Our role at Greater Seattle Partners is to make it easier for companies to choose and invest in our region. For this project, that meant bringing the right partners to the table, connecting the site selection team with state, county and local leaders, and helping them navigate everything from incentives and permitting the resources needed to move quickly. We were proud to work alongside the Washington State Department of Commerce, the City of Des Moines, King County, the Port of Seattle and our other partners to create as seamless a landing as possible for Shield AI. This is regional economic development at its best, and we are excited to welcome Shield AI and thousands of new jobs to Greater Seattle," noted Greater Seattle Partners President and CEO Shannon Braddock.
Taiwan to buy 292 V-BAT drones from Shield AI
Taiwan's navy and coast guard will acquire a total of 292 MQ-35A V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing reconnaissance drones made by US defense technology company Shield AI. The navy plans to purchase 280 aircraft, while the coast guard has already received another 12, Taipei Times reports. Program cost The coast guard has allocated NT$1.2 billion, or US$37.1 million, to purchase 12 drones. Under the four-year Yuan Xiao program, the navy plans to spend NT$36 billion on 280 V-BATs. The total procurement cost is estimated at NT$37.2 billion. According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense report for fiscal year 2027, the navy's order will exceed the number of V-BATs Shield AI had sold to the United States and other NATO countries as of 2024 -- 250 aircraft at that time. Once deliveries are completed, Taiwan may become the largest operator of these drones outside the United States. More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram. Reconnaissance for coastal defense Of the drones planned for the navy, 212 are intended for the Coastal Combat Command and Hsiung Feng anti-ship missile units. The package also includes 140 control systems and 82 ground transport vehicles. The ministry's report states that the drones are intended to help preserve operational capabilities if Chinese attacks disrupt Taiwan's command structure. The navy also cited the use of V-BATs during the war in Ukraine, stating that the aircraft completed 130 successful reconnaissance missions despite strong Russian electronic warfare countermeasures. At a briefing in Taipei on October 2, Shield AI President and co-founder Brandon Tseng said that the share of Taiwanese-made components in the V-BAT is expected to rise from 16% to 25%. Aerospace Industrial Development Corp will provide logistics, maintenance and training for Taiwan's drones.
Taiwan to buy 292 VTOL drones from Shield AI
DEFENSE PROCUREMENT: Taiwan could become the largest operator of V-BAT drones outside the US once they are delivered, the Ministry of National Defense said The navy and the coast guard are acquiring 292 units of MQ-35A V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) surveillance drones manufactured by US-based defense technology company Shield AI, making Taiwan one of the largest buyers of the drone. The Coast Guard Administration budgeted NT$1.2 billion (US$37.1 million) to buy 12 drones, which have been delivered, Shield AI said in a report on Oct 13. The navy is planning to spend NT$36 billion under a four-year program code-named Project Yuan Xiao (遠鴞) to acquire 280 V-BAT drones, the Ministry of National Defense's fiscal 2027 report showed. The combined procurement is expected to cost NT$37.2 billion. The navy's order alone would exceed the 250 V-BAT drones that Shield AI had sold to the US and other NATO countries as of 2024, the ministry's report said. The US military and coast guard combined are estimated to operate about 300 V-BAT drones, while the Netherlands, Armenia, Poland and other countries each operate fleets of several dozen drones, it said. Taiwan could become the largest operator of V-BAT drones outside the US once deliveries are complete, it said. The drones are intended to help maintain operational capability if Chinese attacks disrupt Taiwan's command structure, the report said. Of the navy's planned procurement, 212 drones are earmarked for the Coastal Combat Command and Hsiung Feng anti-ship missile units. The package also includes 140 control systems and 82 ground transport vehicles, allowing missile units to use drones for reconnaissance and maintain precision-strike capabilities even when relocating or if their radars are destroyed, the ministry's report said. The navy cited the V-BAT's performance during the war in Ukraine, saying that it had completed 130 successful reconnaissance missions despite strong Russian electronic interference. At a briefing in Taipei on Oct 2, Shield AI president and cofounder Brandon Tseng (曾國光) said the share of V-BAT components supplied by Taiwanese companies was expected to rise to 25 percent from 16 percent. Aerospace Industrial Development Corp will handle logistics, maintenance and training for Taiwan's drones, he said. The procurement is expected to bolster Taiwan's defense capabilities in peacetime and during conflict, while giving Taiwanese companies a greater role in the supply chain for advanced US-made drones, he said.
《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan to buy 292 VTOL drones from Shield AI
根據「電腦網路內容分級處理辦法」修正條文第六條第三款規定，已於網站首頁或各該限制級網頁，依台灣網站分級推廣基金會規定作標示。 台灣網站分級推廣基金會（TICRF）網站：http://www.ticrf.org.tw 《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan to buy 292 VTOL drones from Shield AI 2026/10/18 03:00 留言 new A V-Bat vertical takeoff and landing drone developed by Shield AI is exhibited during a demonstration in Den Helder, the Netherlands, on July 9 last year. Photo: EPA DEFENSE PROCUREMENT: Taiwan could become the largest operator of V-BAT drones outside the US once they are delivered, the Ministry of National Defense said By Lo Tien-pin and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer \ The navy and the coast guard are acquiring 292 units of MQ-35A V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing （VTOL） surveillance drones manufactured by US-based defense technology company Shield AI, making Taiwan one of the largest buyers of the drone. The Coast Guard Administration budgeted NT$1.2 billion （US$37.1 million） to buy 12 drones, which have been delivered, Shield AI said in a report on Oct 13. The navy is planning to spend NT$36 billion under a four-year program code-named Project Yuan Xiao （遠鴞） to acquire 280 V-BAT drones, the Ministry of National Defense's fiscal 2027 report showed. The combined procurement is expected to cost NT$37.2 billion. The navy's order alone would exceed the 250 V-BAT drones that Shield AI had sold to the US and other NATO countries as of 2024, the ministry's report said. The US military and coast guard combined are estimated to operate about 300 V-BAT drones, while the Netherlands, Armenia, Poland and other countries each operate fleets of several dozen drones, it said. Taiwan could become the largest operator of V-BAT drones outside the US once deliveries are complete, it said. The drones are intended to help maintain operational capability if Chinese attacks disrupt Taiwan's command structure, the report said. Of the navy's planned procurement, 212 drones are earmarked for the Coastal Combat Command and Hsiung Feng anti-ship missile units. The package also includes 140 control systems and 82 ground transport vehicles, allowing missile units to use drones for reconnaissance and maintain precision-strike capabilities even when relocating or if their radars are destroyed, the ministry's report said. The navy cited the V-BAT's performance during the war in Ukraine, saying that it had completed 130 successful reconnaissance missions despite strong Russian electronic interference. At a briefing in Taipei on Oct 2, Shield AI president and cofounder Brandon Tseng （曾國光） said the share of V-BAT components supplied by Taiwanese companies was expected to rise to 25 percent from 16 percent. Aerospace Industrial Development Corp will handle logistics, maintenance and training for Taiwan's drones, he said. The procurement is expected to bolster Taiwan's defense capabilities in peacetime and during conflict, while giving Taiwanese companies a greater role in the supply chain for advanced US-made drones, he said. 新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES 不用抽 不用搶 現在用APP看新聞 保證天天中獎 點我下載APP 按我看活動辦法
AUSA 2026: Shield AI's X-BAT advances sustainment support and US Navy funding
Shield AI's growing footprint in India could lead to the localised manufacturing of the X-BAT (pictured). (Shield AI) GE Aerospace, Shield AI and Poland's Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 S.A. (WZL-2) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 12 October to "advance maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) support" for the GE Aerospace F110 engine that powers the X-BAT unmanned fighter jet. Under that MOU, the companies plan to explore establishing MRO capability for the F110 and its Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN) in support of X-BAT. Amy Gowder, president & CEO of Defense & Systems at GE Aerospace, said the partnership would "[bring] proven propulsion and sustainment expertise together with Shield AI's breakthrough innovation in AI-piloted aircraft and Polish industry to keep next-generation autonomous systems mission-ready." US Navy RIMES Additionally, Shield AI announced on 8 October that the US Navy executed a USD150 million modification (with funding from Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment through the Defense Exportability Features programme) to an existing Other Transaction agreement to advance X-BAT development. Under the US Navy Runway Independent Maritime Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) effort, the department announced a separate USD50 million funding action in August 2026, bringing the total to USD200 million. Shield AI said it matched the government's funding using its own capital in both instances. "We've been laying out all of our technical roadmaps," Jason Davis, head of strategic capture at Shield AI, told Janes on 12 October when discussing RIMES. "We showed them all of the pre-work that we had done in the pre-planning, and they have jumped in and helped provide a lot of that organizational support structure and the service voice within the programme."
Shield AI Hivemind set for integration with Australian loitering munitions
Greg Waldron is the Defence Managing Editor at FlightGlobal, leading the publication's global defence coverage. Based in the Asia-Pacific, he has reported extensively on the rise of Chinese airpower and broader airpower developments across the region and worldwide. Since joining FlightGlobal in 2009, Waldron has received multiple journalism accolades, including the 2023 Aerospace Reporter of the Year award. Prior to this, he worked as a freelance writer covering a wide range of topics -- including aviation, finance, healthcare, and travel -- and began his career reporting on Asia-Pacific stock markets for a major newswire.
Shield AI names two sites for X-BAT production and flight testing
Shield AI X-BAT concept for an unmanned autonomous VTOL strike jet. (Shield AI) Shield AI announced the completion of two manufacturing facilities in Kansas and Washington for its X-BAT unmanned fighter jet on 30 September 2026. The Kansas facility, dubbed X-Forge 2, is located at the Newton City-County Airport and serves as the flight test and sustainment centre for X-BAT. Shield AI said in a press release it currently leases hangar and office space as well as approximately 10 acres of space at Newton City-County Airport, but is also looking "to expand its footprint and develop a larger hangar". X-Forge 2 is expected to "also support development flight testing and serve as the center for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for the fleet", according to the company. The company said an economic analysis projects the Kansas facility to support 1,800 jobs (Shield AI employees, suppliers, and jobs supported by both groups) by the early 2030s, potentially expanding to 2,900 by 2046. "Every US-built X-BAT will earn its wings in Kansas skies before it is delivered to a customer, and thousands of Kansas workers will help keep the fleet flying for decades," US Senator Roger Marshall said in a Shield AI press release. "We are excited that our role has expanded to include the ongoing maintenance, repair and overhaul functions for the entire X-BAT fleet," Newton, Kansas Mayor Rich Stinnett said. "Every X-BAT will prove itself here before it goes to a customer, and the work to keep the fleet flying will stay here for decades." X-Forge 3, located in Des Moines, Washington, will serve as the production home for X-BAT after the aircraft passes through the company's Texas prototyping facilities.
