Armor Harris

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Intelligent autonomy is key to making these low cost platforms significantly more mission effective

[Shield AI @shieldaitech]

Affordable mass just got smarter.

@DoWCTO (OUSW R&E) selected Shield AI to integrate Hivemind onto LUCAS, the @DeptofWar's new class of low-cost, one-way attack drones built to operate in large numbers.

“LUCAS is about delivering affordable mass, but mass without coordination is limited in value. Hivemind is the AI pilot that makes that mass intelligent. It’s the autonomy layer that enables teams of drones to sense, decide, and act at scale. We’re proud to partner with OUSW R&E to put this capability in the hands of the warfighter at the speed of relevance." – @brandontseng2

Read the full press release at the link in the comments.

Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Steve "Doogie" Russell, J.J. Cummings, and I sat down with the media to talk about the development of X-BAT in detail.

@thewarzonewire is one of the best publications in the business and provide a great capture of what we talked about here:

[TWZ @thewarzonewire]

X-BAT Autonomous VTOL ‘Fighter’ Looks Dramatically Different

Development of X-BAT is accelerating, including the use of a thrust vectoring nozzle from an experimental F-16 that was borrowed "Indiana Jones style."

Latest on X-BAT:
https://t.co/7Xy0qt2UQ4

[Shield AI @shieldaitech]

We’re just getting warmed up.

More @GE_Aerospace engines are now in testing, with our teams performing break-in runs to establish baseline performance. Next step: integrating the axisymmetric vectoring exhaust nozzle to enable vertical flight.

Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Simulation is key not just to AI model development, particularly in the classified domain, but also for operational planning with a combination of autonomous and traditional systems working together.

We can't rehearse everything that we want to train for in terms of capabilities and tactics in exercises because adversaries are watching, it has to be done in simulation.

[Shield AI @shieldaitech]

Shield AI to acquire Aechelon and raise $2B at $12.7B valuation.

We’re accelerating the shift in how defense systems get built: increasingly shaped in software, trained in simulation, and improved through use.

Aechelon, a Sagewind portfolio company, is one of the most trusted simulation companies in defense. Their technology is used to model real-world environments and test systems before they fly. Bringing that capability together alongside Hivemind connects how autonomy is trained with how it performs in the field, helping customers move faster and field capability with greater confidence.Shield AI to acquire Aechelon Technology Inc. and raise $2B at $12.7B valuation.

We’re accelerating the shift in how defense systems get built: increasingly shaped in software, trained in simulation, and improved through use.

Aechelon, a Sagewind Capital portfolio company, is one of the most trusted simulation companies in defense. Their technology is used to model real-world environments and test systems before they fly. Bringing that capability together alongside Hivemind connects how autonomy is trained with how it performs in the field, helping customers move faster and field capability with greater confidence.

Read more:  https://t.co/2lpEYLrUHi

Led by @adventintl and co-led by JPMorganChase’s Strategic Investment Group, with participation from @blackstone, @SnowpointVC, Innovation X Advisors, Riot Ventures, @disruptivetech, Apandion, and others.

[Shield AI @shieldaitech]

“Holy sh*t. Look at this thing!” — @VP @JDVance

This thing is V-BAT, our Group 3 unmanned aircraft delivering real mission impact worldwide. From interdicting record drug shipments with the @USCG to being one of the few technologies able to operate in Ukraine’s electronic warfare environment, V-BAT performs where others can’t. Now, Armenia has selected V-BAT for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations as part of its first foreign military sale.

Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.

[Shield AI @shieldaitech]

Hivemind just flew @anduriltech's YFQ-44A.

Hivemind completed its first flight test aboard Anduril’s YFQ-44A aircraft for the @usairforce’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. During the flight test over the Mojave Desert, Hivemind passed all required test points, demonstrating full integration and mission autonomy aboard the aircraft and paving the way for expanded program testing.

“This flight test showcases the potential of airpower built on mission autonomy. Across platforms, domains, and environments, Hivemind provides resilient mission autonomy, proving that software is central to the future of airpower. Our collaboration with Anduril reflects a new era of defense acquisition, where autonomy is treated as a foundational warfighting capability on par with the aircraft itself.” - Christian Gutierrez, Vice President of Hivemind Solutions

Read the full press release: https://t.co/xKgcZbxUtx

Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.

[Forward Future @ForwardFuture]

We don’t have to put our best people in the cockpit anymore.”

Armor Harris, SVP @shieldaitech on why autonomous aircraft are changing modern warfare:

“We’re building a vertical takeoff and landing fighter jet that carries about the same payload as an F-35, goes twice as far, and doesn’t have a pilot in the cockpit.”

“In a contested, high-end battlefield, that means you don’t have to send one of our best and brightest into the most dangerous environments on Earth.”

“You can send something autonomous to do really dangerous, really complicated missions instead.”

“And you can do it without risking human lives.”

“That’s the real shift.”

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Today the Air Force announced that Shield Al has been selected alongside Collins to provide the autonomy software for the Increment 1 CCA's, complementing Anduril and General Atomics which were selected to build the hardware. The autonomy software is the brains of the jet, enabling it to conduct combat missions operating as an autonomous wingman to manned fighters.

Using the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture, we can plug our Hivemind Al pilot into any compatible aircraft in short order. We look forward to continuing to support the Air Force on CCA and other future autonomy efforts!

https://t.co/A04lQsnt35

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

The Indian market is really hard and the Indian government is a very demanding customer. But thanks to the hard work by Sarjan Shah and the Shield AI team in India plus US team, I'm very honored for the V-BAT to be selected by the Indian Army (the world's largest army friendly to the US) to be their battlefield ISR and targeting platform!

https://t.co/DaVWrkS2oy

[Shield AI @shieldaitech]

"A peer adversary doesn’t have to beat our pilots. They just have to keep them on the ground by cratering runways and annihilating fuel farms. No tankers? No runway? No problem. X-BAT doesn’t need them."

J.J. Cummings, our Senior Director of Strategic Engagement for Navy Programs, wrote a blog highlighting the strategic importance of X-BAT’s autonomous, runway-independent airpower to counter modern threats. A former fighter pilot, aircraft carrier captain, and leader in strike fighter aviation, J.J. brings decades of firsthand operational experience. He knows what it takes to project power from the sea, and he sees how X-BAT fills a critical gap in today’s airpower, delivering mobility, survivability, and autonomy at scale.

Read the full blog here: https://t.co/m3IEELSEda

Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.

[Shield AI @shieldaitech]

A critical part of X-BAT's blast shield is to keep ship decks cool.

Jet engine testing is currently underway, validating ground-protection materials for the launch and recovery vehicle (LRV) as development continues.

Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

An irreplaceable aspect of our culture is relentless focus on achieving mission success for our customers

https://t.co/Kq3qkzZBmc

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Announcing X-BAT - creating endless dilemmas for our adversaries, and endless possibilities for our commanders

https://t.co/9Gw7mRDb8a

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Excited to be working with HII on a critical component of the future fleet!

https://t.co/9c4BeNxj5I

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Coming in October...the future of air power anytime, anywhere

https://t.co/UUAYA7JYv3

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Shield AI's next gen strike jet brings cost-effective survivability across the spectrum

https://t.co/UUAYA7JqFv

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Our next generation strike fighter can takeoff and land from almost anywhere, truly enabling expeditionary agile combat employment

https://t.co/UUAYA7JqFv

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Autonomy, with a human on the loop for critical decisions, is a fundamental enabler for breaking the cost curve of expensive fighter jets with human pilots. Shield AI’s next generation strike fighter is aiming for an order of magnitude lower full lifecycle cost compared to 5th gen aircraft.

[Shield AI @shieldaitech]

The Netherlands chooses V-BAT, adding to the growing number of European and #NATO Ministries of Defence that have selected V-BAT.

#VBAT is operating and delivering outsized outcomes in Ukraine, supporting European border security with FRONTEX, and flying operationally with several other European nations.

The Netherlands Ministry of Defence has selected V-BAT to equip the Royal Netherlands Navy @kon_marine and Marine Corps @korpsmariniers, advancing autonomous ISR and strengthening interoperability across NATO maritime forces.

“V-BAT’s small logistical footprint, ease of use and the possibility to deploy from a wide range of vessels make it well-suited for our operational needs,” said a Netherlands Royal Navy spokesperson. Proud to support the #Netherlands as they field flexible, combat-ready capability at speed.
Read more: https://t.co/7p3BFvZDB0

Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.

[Armor Harris @RocketArmor]

Our autonomy software gets better every week with test flights with our awesome partners at @GenAtomics_ASI. Rapidly testing and deploying software updates is critical to success on the modern battlefield!

https://t.co/gdBV1Eg9Ru