Shield AI Picks Kansas and Washington Sites for X-BAT

Sep 30, 2026
Shield AI selected Newton, Kansas, for X-BAT flight testing and fleet support, while Des Moines, Washington, will house aircraft production.

Shield AI said in a press release that Newton, Kansas, will host X-BAT flight testing and fleet support, while Des Moines, Washington, will house production. Every aircraft will complete production acceptance testing in Newton before delivery, and customers will conduct acceptance flights there.

The Newton site will also handle development testing, maintenance, repair and overhaul. Shield AI currently leases hangar and office space and about 10 acres at Newton City County Airport. The company has signed a lease in Des Moines and is building out the production site, with hiring underway in the region.

X-BAT is an AI piloted fighter aircraft designed for vertical takeoff and landing. Shield AI plans to begin flight testing later in 2026, start production in 2029 and reach full production rates in the early 2030s. An economic analysis commissioned for the program projects about 9,800 jobs across the Newton and Seattle regions in the early 2030s and about $78 billion in combined regional economic activity through 2046.

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