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.