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Defense Watch: Possible MUSV Lease, CBO and Golden Dome, X-BAT Sites
Defense Daily's Defense Watch highlights several separate U.S. defence developments: the Navy's openness to potentially leasing commercial vessels for some Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel needs, Congressional Budget Office work related to Golden Dome, and Shield AI's site selections for its X-BAT aircraft. X-BAT is an unmanned, AI-piloted vertical-take-off-and-landing fighter jet, not a counter-drone system. Shield AI selected facilities in Kansas and Washington state for flight testing, sustainment and production, with production planned to begin in 2029.