Naval aviation is moving toward runway-independent strike capabilities as defense agencies seek to project airpower from standard surface combatants. The U.S. Navy’s Rapid Capability Office, PAE Aviation, and the Defense Innovation Unit are investing $50 million under the Runway Independent Maritime Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) program to scale unmanned strike technology using Shield AI’s X-BAT aircraft.
The effort targets operational gaps on surface ships like Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which possess helicopter decks but lack catapults or arresting gear for conventional fixed-wing jets. As reported by Defence Blog, the contract utilizes the Middle Tier of Acquisition Rapid Prototype pathway and an Other Transaction Authority framework, expanding on preliminary risk-reduction work conducted by PAE Aviation and Shield AI.
Unveiled in October 2025, the X-BAT is a vertical takeoff and landing, jet-powered platform designed for strike, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and counter-air missions. The aircraft features a 39-foot wingspan, an operational range exceeding 2,000 nautical miles with full payload, a service ceiling above 50,000 feet, and autonomous operations in communications-denied environments via Hivemind software. Initially powered by GE Aerospace’s F110-GE-129 engine with a target first flight in 2026, the X-BAT expands Shield AI’s naval portfolio alongside its operational V-BAT system. Specific timelines for flight testing, destroyer deployment, and final procurement quantities under the RIMES program have not been disclosed.
