Organisation

U.S. Navy

Naval warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces

Shield AI completes first X-BAT autonomous fighter jet prototype as Seattle-area factory plans advance

Prototype built in 12 months en route to flight tests in Kansas; company says milestone keeps it on schedule for regional buildout and could employ 4,000 workers

Shield AI has completed the first full-scale prototype of its X-BAT autonomous fighter jet, keeping the defense technology company on track for a major manufacturing hub south of Seattle that it says could employ 4,000 workers in the region by the early 2030s.

4 Nov 2026

Startups

Castelion, valued at $13 billion, wins Navy hypersonic missile contract

Castelion, a startup co-founded by three former SpaceX executives and valued at $13 billion, has secured a U.S. Navy contract worth up to $200 million for its Blackbeard hypersonic missile, which has been designated a program of record. The company is betting it can overcome U.S. testing complications and production issues that have kept the country from fielding its own hypersonic missile, while China and Russia already have them.

4 days ago