V‑BAT drones: Shield AI completes over 130 missions in Ukraine
The American company Shield AI announced that its team in Kyiv has conducted over 130 combat missions using V-BAT drones in Ukraine.
The American defence company, Shield AI, announced that its team in Kyiv has already conducted over 130 combat missions using V-BAT drones on Ukrainian territory. According to the Defence Express portal, the missions involve both operator training and combat operations aimed at increasing readiness on the front line before the planned spring campaign. The activities have been conducted in cooperation with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Flights in electronic warfare conditions
Shield AI does not disclose operational details but emphasises that the flights took place in challenging electronic warfare conditions. This type of combat operation involves disrupting or preventing actions using electromagnetic emissions.
The missions are supported by Ukrainian veterans, and drone operator training also takes place in Texas. James Lithgow, managing director of Shield AI, notes that it is crucial for weapons manufacturers to test their solutions directly on the battlefield.
In November of last year, it was revealed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were secretly using experimental V-BAT drones as part of tests for the United States. These drones operated deep behind Russian lines, where they discovered, among other targets, a Buk missile system storage facility, which was later destroyed by a HIMARS strike.
Shield AI disclosed data regarding the use of drones by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including the number of systems delivered. Lithgow emphasises that for defence companies, gaining legitimacy no longer occurs in laboratories but on the battlefield.
