Shield AI and Greek company GEK TERNA have entered into a partnership to establish manufacturing and sustainment infrastructure for the X-BAT VTOL combat aircraft in Greece. Under the agreement, component production, aircraft integration, and long-term maintenance operations will be conducted within the country. Greece will also serve as a regional training, logistics, and maintenance hub for Cyprus, the Balkans, and Southeast Europe.

Shield AI's position as a leader in autonomous software development will drive its role in the X-BAT program, providing the Hivemind autonomy software and mission systems. GEK TERNA will leverage its experience in critical infrastructure management to oversee and develop the Greek supplier base, incorporating small and medium-sized enterprises into the program. A local X-BAT program office will be established. Participating Greek industry will engage in component manufacturing, assembly, ground support equipment, operating bases, training centers, maintenance and repair operations, and university research initiatives.

The X-BAT is designed as a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) combat aircraft controlled by artificial intelligence. The platform is developed to conduct missions from ships, islands, or remote airfields without requiring a runway. Capable of carrying up to 2,000 lb of ordnance internally, the X-BAT has a targeted combat radius of 1,000 nautical miles. Powered by GE Aerospace's F110 engine, the platform can carry high-power-demand electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) payloads. Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software enables independent mission execution without GPS or communication links. Flight testing is targeted to begin in the latter part of 2026.

The Turkish defense industrial ecosystem has achieved significant progress in unmanned aerial systems and VTOL platforms. Baykar's Bayraktar TB2 and TB3 platforms, TUSAŞ's KAAN and HÜRJET projects, and ASELSAN's electronic warfare systems represent important indigenous developments that have increased regional technological capacity. AI-enabled VTOL systems like X-BAT are designed to fulfill NATO-standard air defense and reconnaissance missions. Similarly, foreign systems such as Patriot, NASAMS, and Iron Dome play critical roles in regional air security. Greece's need for runway-independent aircraft across its islands and Aegean region underscores the strategic value of VTOL platforms like X-BAT.

Shield AI's operations in Greece are expanding rapidly. In June 2026, the Greek Army signed an agreement to expand its V-BAT fleet for maritime surveillance missions across the Aegean. In July, V-BAT conducted a live flight demonstration at the opening of the Joint Unmanned Aerial Systems Tactical Training Center in Tripoli. The X-BAT program strengthens Shield AI's strategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean. Establishing regional production and maintenance infrastructure will reduce long-term operational costs and create employment in the Greek defense sector. Additionally, research collaboration with Greek universities will accelerate regional technology transfer and capability development.