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Shield AI Sets X-BAT Production in Washington, Test and MRO in Kansas
Shield AI selected Des Moines, Washington, for X-Forge 3, the future production facility for its X-BAT autonomous combat aircraft, and Newton, Kansas, for X-Forge 2. The Washington site will manufacture aircraft, while the leased Kansas airport facility will handle acceptance flights, development testing, customer demonstrations and eventual maintenance, repair and overhaul. X-Forge 1 in Frisco, Texas, continues to support prototype development and V-BAT activities, creating a three-site industrial and testing network. Shield AI is beginning facility buildout and workforce expansion, targeting initial X-BAT production in 2029 and full-rate manufacturing in the early 2030s.