Story and image from Shield AI
Cincinnati, Ohio, November 5, 2025 – GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) and Shield AI have agreed to collaborate on propulsion technologies for Shield AI’s new X-BAT vehicle program. Through the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the F110-GE-129 engine, featuring the advanced Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN), has been selected to power the X-BAT. GE Aerospace will providepropulsion and testing support for the X-BAT program.
Unveiled on October 21 in Washington, D.C., X-BAT is an AI-piloted vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter jet by Shield AI engineered for contested and austere environments. Powered by Shield AI’s proven Hivemind autonomy software, X-BAT delivers scalable, survivable combat mass in contested environments and can operate independently or as a drone wingman.
By pairing GE Aerospace’s expertise in propulsion development, testing, and certification with Shield AI’s proven autonomous aircraft technology, the partnership will accelerate development and readiness for future unmanned applications.
The GE Aerospace F110 engine has more than 11 million flight hours under its wing, the most thrust in its class, and recently celebrated a milestone of 40 years of continuous production and improvement. The Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN) for X-BAT provides thrust vectoring capability for vertical flight and enhances maneuverability in horizontal flight.
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