US‑made V‑BAT drones excel in Ukraine's combat zones
The American company Shield AI announced that its team in Kyiv has conducted over 130 combat missions using V-BAT drones in Ukraine.
The American defense company, Shield AI, announced that its team in Kyiv has already conducted over 130 combat missions using V-BAT drones on Ukrainian territory. According to the Defense Express portal, the missions included both operator training and combat operations aimed at increasing readiness at the front before the planned spring campaign. These activities were carried out in cooperation with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Flights in electronic warfare conditions
Shield AI does not disclose operational details, but emphasizes that the flights took place in difficult electronic warfare conditions. This type of combat operation involves disrupting or preventing actions using electromagnetic emissions.
The missions are supported by Ukrainian veterans, and drone operator training also takes place in Texas. James Lithgow, managing director of Shield AI, notes that it is crucial for weapons manufacturers to test their solutions directly on the battlefield.
In November of last year, it was revealed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were secretly using experimental V-BAT drones as part of tests for the United States. These drones operated deep behind Russian lines, where they discovered, among other things, a Buk missile system storage facility, which was later destroyed by a HIMARS strike.
Shield AI disclosed data regarding the use of drones by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including the number of systems delivered. Lithgow emphasizes that for defense companies, gaining legitimacy no longer takes place in laboratories, but on the battlefield.
