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JMSDF selects Shield AI V-BAT as its first autonomous ISR platform

The Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) has selected the MQ-35 V-BAT Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS), manufactured by San Diego-based Shield AI, as Japan’s first-ever maritime-based autonomous Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform. V-BAT will provide advanced ISR capabilities to JMSDF surface vessels, strengthening Japan’s defence posture and readiness in the Indo-Pacific region, 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, according to Shield AI.

This deal represents the start of a planned multi-year stream of V-BAT orders to support JMSDF operations, says Shield AI. Under the agreement, the JMSDF will acquire multiple V-BATs, enhancing the ISR capabilities of its surface vessels.

Japan is a vital ally in the Indo-Pacific and critical to regional deterrence efforts, and this partnership strengthens Japan’s ability to respond effectively to crises and ensures they are equipped with a reliable and proven platform for maritime ISR missions,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-founder, and former Navy SEAL.

“The JMSDF’s selection of V-BAT reflects their understanding of the future of warfare—where operational success requires blending high-cost assets with intelligent, affordable unmanned systems like V-BAT. Every US and allied maritime vessel should be equipped with V-BAT to provide shipborne ISR capabilities wherever and whenever they are needed, and it’s fantastic to be making that vision a reality with JMSDF.”

With its unique ducted-fan design and the ability to launch and recover in confined spaces, V-BAT is ideally suited for shipborne and austere environments, says Shield AI. V-BAT, which is designed for missions ranging from ISR to strategic targeting, search-and-rescue, and maritime interdiction, has earned a reputation for reliability while operating in GPS- and comms-denied environments, the company adds.

V-BAT’s performance in contested areas such as Ukraine, the Black Sea, and the Indo-Pacific demonstrates its ability to withstand advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) threats that have grounded many traditional drones, says the company.

Shield AI was founded in 2015; its flagship autonomy software, Hivemind, is an AI pilot that enables teams of intelligent aircraft to operate and complete missions autonomously in high-threat environments, without the need for remote operators or GPS. Hivemind, says the company, is an aircraft-agnostic autonomy stack similar to the self-driving technology found in cars. It has flown seven aircraft, including quadcopters, the V-BAT, F-16, and Kratos MQM-178 Firejet and XQ-58 Valkyrie UASs.

Some 12 months ago, the company bought Port Melbourne-based Sentient Vision Systems, a world leader in AI-enabled real-time situational awareness, to establish Shield AI Australia. Sentient’s principal AI system is ViDAR, which uses an Electro-Optic or Infrared (EO/IR) sensor to detect and classify targets in the imagery stream that would be invisible to a human operator or to a conventional radar.

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