Shield AI, the defense technology company building autonomy for the world, announced it has started training with Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) to prepare Ukrainian warfighters on operations with V-BAT, the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial system (UAS) proven in electronic warfare environments.  

To fully support the Ukrainian forces, Shield AI has established an office in Kyiv, creating a local presence in Ukraine with a dedicated team of engineers, mission operations personnel, and technical specialists. Shield AI has already begun working with USF operators, delivering training that will prepare them for deploying V-BATs to the front lines.  

During a recent field visit with troops and Shield AI’s in-country team, a senior commander from the Unmanned Systems Training Group highlighted the importance of the training and support being provided: “The presence of Shield AI’s team in Ukraine is a critical step in enhancing our operational capabilities. Their efforts are ensuring that our forces are well-prepared to meet the challenges of the frontline environment.”  

V-BAT is a next-generation VTOL UAS designed for resilient operations in contested environments, delivering strategic capabilities on par with larger, more expensive platforms. It excels at deep-penetration targeting missions in GPS- and communications-denied conditions. Its performance in Ukraine has proven its ability to withstand advanced electronic warfare threats while maintaining reliability and adaptability. Most recently, V-BAT showcased its versatility during maritime operations in the Black Sea, underscoring its value for long-range missions across both land and sea.  

“V-BAT is the most cost-effective, strategic targeting drone there is. In Ukraine, it has targeted strategic Russian surface-to-air missile systems while GPS and communications were jammed. It doesn’t require a runway, which everybody knows are large, stationary, first-strike missile sponges that will be destroyed on day one of any conflict,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-Founder and a former Navy SEAL. “Drones are not the future of warfare; they are how warfare is waged today. It’s just that much of the world is behind and still allocating resources to expensive, vulnerable systems that don’t stand a chance on the battlefield. Our adversaries laugh behind closed doors when we spend tens of millions on legacy systems that get shot out of the sky by $1 million missiles.” 

The Unmanned Systems Forces is the world’s first dedicated military branch that employs unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based robotic systems, and marine surface and underwater drones to carry out a variety of tasks. By combining advanced technologies with modern asymmetric warfare strategies, the Unmanned Systems Forces aim to protect Ukrainian citizens and territorial integrity, destroy enemy forces, and significantly reduce their offensive capabilities. The USF’s multi-level approach enables operations both on the battlefield and at strategic depths, targeting enemy assets hundreds of kilometers behind the front lines.