Combat drone X-BAT: Greece's air force evaluates AI system from Shield AI

The Greek air force is looking at a combat drone as a partner for the F-35: according to a report by the specialist portal OnAlert, it is evaluating what the new X-BAT unmanned combat aircraft from US company Shield AI can do. The focus is on future interaction with the F-35 fighter jets planned for Greece.

According to the report, the F-35 is to act not merely as a single combat aircraft but as a flying hub for sensors, command and weapons. Unmanned escort aircraft, known as loyal wingmen, could take on tasks in reconnaissance, electronic warfare, air defence or strike, reducing the risk to crewed platforms.

Combat drone without a runway

The X-BAT concept is of interest above all because the system is not meant to need a conventional runway. The unmanned combat aircraft, around eight metres long, takes off and lands vertically; operations from islands, ships or other dispersed sites would thus be possible. In the geographically demanding environment of the Aegean, this is seen as a potential advantage.

Shield AI promises stealth characteristics, ranges of more than 3,700 kilometres and the ability to carry weapons from the F-16 and F-35 arsenal – including AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. At the core of the concept is the Hivemind software, which is based on artificial intelligence (AI). It is intended to allow largely autonomous operation, even if GPS or communication links fail.

According to OnAlert, Greece also sees industrial opportunities. The report says Athens is considering bringing parts of a possible European production line for the system to the country. Other European states, above all Poland, are also competing for this.

If the programme achieves the announced performance data, the X-BAT could, in the view of Greek observers, become a significant capability multiplier for future F-35 formations and pave the way for a new generation of networked air combat systems.